Making Exceptions
by misquotesandeighthnotes
Summary: No magic. Multi-chap. College AU: Emma Swan is a culinary arts student. Regina Mills is her English teacher. Story progresses from there, if you can dig what I'm getting at. :)
1. Oreo Cupcakes

**_A/N: _****_ Hey ya'll. I'm back and adding a new lovely pair to my list: Swan Queen! It's my first OUAT fic, so if you would like to leave a review, you're more than welcome to! Hope you enjoy, lovelies. ~R._**

_My baby don't mess around_

_Because she loves me so_

_And this I know for sure._

_Uh, But does she really wanna_

_But can't stand to see me_

_Walk out the door._

_Don't try to fight the feelin'_

_'Cause the thought alone is killing me right now.._

_Uh, thank god for mom and dad_

_For sticking two together_

_'Cause we don't know how..._

_UH!_

_Hey... ya._

_Hey ya._

_Hey... ya._

_Hey-_

"EMMA! FOR THE LAST FREAKING TIME! SHUT THAT DAMN THING OFF!" Came a shout from another room. "It is six freaking a.m," the voice drew nearer and nearer until a tall, leggy brunette stood at the door to Emma's bedroom.

"Sorry, Rubes," the blonde woman replied, reaching over to silence her phone. "It's just, y'know, my theme song, and I need my theme song to start a big day like today."

Today was the first day of freshman year at the university for Emma Swan and she was determined to make it the best day of her life. Even if it took 3 hours of preparation and three thousand, seven hundred and thirty-three cupcakes.

"Emma," Ruby started, a smile creeping upon her face as she watched her best friend bounce up and down on her toes. "You're up three hours before your first class, you've already read over your schedule three thousand times and highlighted it in different colors according to what part of the campus it is on, and you baked enough oreo cupcakes to feed every single student attending college this year. You're freaking out far too much for the first day, hon."

"I know," Emma sighed, her shoulders slumping. "I just want today to be perfect."

Closing the distance between the two of them, Ruby wrapped her arms around the blonde, squeezing tightly before backing up and looking into emerald eyes. "But... cupcakes?" she asked, raising a questioning eyebrow. "For every single student and teacher in your classes?"

Emma thought about the treats she spent hours making the day before, "Oh my God. I can't believe I was planning something so elementary," she whispered to herself, shocked at how oblivious she had been. "Why didn't you say something before I wasted all those ingredients?" the blonde asked angrily.

"Honey, you came here for culinary school. You're cooking is fantastic, and so is your baking. You think I'd tell you to stop baking something that I would end up getting to eat?" the brunette questioned rhetorically. "No chance in hell."

"We both know you have a bottomless pit in here," Emma tapped her friend's stomach, "but there is no way in hell you'll be eating over three thousand cupcakes by yourself, Rubes."

"Maybe not all in one day, but it's worth a shot, right?"

The blonde tried to repress the smile curving at the corners of her lips, "Remind me, Ruby, why I ever became friends with you."

Laughing at her friend's offended look, Emma stood up and walked into her bathroom. A shower and some great music would be the perfect way to kick off the first day of college.

* * *

Half the day had passed, and Emma was already getting a great feel for her courses. Her culinary arts classes seemed simple enough, especially for someone with as much talent as herself. The year would be a breeze if all her classes were that easy. Looking at her schedule, however, Emma realized that not _all_ of her classes would be that easy.

"All I'm asking, Rubes, is why a culinary arts student needs English courses," Emma said for the thousandth time, adding her signature _I-cannot-believe-this_ sigh.

"I don't even know what you're complaining about, babe. Everyone knows you are freaking fantastic at English courses," Ruby assured.

"I don't even know how I passed my high school English one class." The blonde argued, remembering all the times she and the teacher butted heads in that particular class.

"You spoke your mind, that's how. Even if the teachers didn't agree with you, they still were forced to see your opinion on whatever your topic was. You convinced them of things they knew weren't true. You had most of them thinking the sun revolved around the moon. They loved you because of your writing, and you grades proved it," Ruby finished her spiel with a giant grin. "And I have no idea why I just said all of that because we both know that you already know it."

"I guess you're kind of right, I just….. Creative Writing? Really?" the blonde whined, bouncing in her seat like a toddler who was about to throw a fit.

"Stop acting pathetic and think about it. That's your best topic, my friend. You can write whatever you want. If the teacher isn't in love with you by mid-semester, he's lost his mind."

"Actually, it's a she... I think," Emma said, scanning her schedule for said professor's name.

"Really?" Ruby asked, intrigued. She knew her friend liked the ladies. "I thought you skipped out on all female professors for fear of distraction," the brunette winked, knowing her words would embarrass the hell out of her best friend.

The blonde started to blush, "and I thought I skipped all English classes, too. I guess we're both wrong."

"So what's her name?" Ruby whispered across the table to her friend, raising one brow in question. "Because I know all the teachers around here…..some more than others, if you know what I mean."

Ignoring her friends suggestive comment, mischievous smile, and over-exaggerated wink, the blonde replied, "Professor Mills…"

"REGINA MILLS?!"

"Do you know her?" Emma asked, suddenly bothered by the chance that her friend may _know_ her teacher more than she should.

"Know her?" The brunette questioned back, leaning across the table to whisper to her friend, and make sure no one else could hear what she was about to say. "How could you not? She's the one professor everyone talks about. They say she's a cold bitch. She grades hard, and won't hesitate to tell it like it is. If she thinks your work is shit, she'll tell you your work is shit." Placing herself back into her seat, she finished, "She's a tough one to crack, Swan."

"Well, I guess being late to my first class with her would be an awful way to start then," the blonde said, checking her watch. "I gotta go, Rubes, but I think I'll see you when I'm done with Mills' class."

The blonde walked out the door and down the hallway before turning around and running back into the room.

"Jesus, Emma! What'd you forget this time?" Ruby asked, exasperatedly. "I swear, you'd forget your head if it weren't attached to your damn neck."

"I didn't forget anything, Rubes. I just think if I'm going to start a class with Stone-Cold Steve Austin, I should maybe bring a peace offering," the blonde paused her thought process as she grabbed a plastic container from below the countertop. "And what better way to win someone over than a delicious oreo cupcake made by a fantastic culinary student?"

* * *

Regina Mills was frustrated. More than that, she was annoyed. The worst part, though, was that this feeling was nothing new for the olive-skinned brunette. Year after year, she was handed new groups of imbeciles and somehow was expected to turn them into literary geniuses, and looking at her classes so far that day, it was mission impossible.

_The next class is Creative Writing,_ Regina thought while resting her head in her hands. _Please, God, give me something spectacular to work with in this next group._

Suddenly, her door flew open, causing the brunette's head to snap up. A blonde woman came rushing in, panting as if she'd just run a marathon and looking beyond worn-out.

"May I help you, Miss…." Regina trailed off, not knowing the blonde's name.

"Swan. Emma Swan." the girl choked out between gasps of breath. "I thought- I thought we had Creative Writing at one thirty in this hall. I swear we had it. It's written on my schedule. Creative writing with Professor Mills, 1:30." Regina watched while the blonde rambled on and on about her class and searched her bag for said schedule, presenting it to the brunette and pointing to the marked time.

_I should stop her,_ The professor thought, _but this is just so good. And entertaining. Definitely entertaining._

"Oh. If I'm in the wrong hall I'll be so screwed. I heard Mills can be a hardass. That's why I went back to get this cupcake," the blonde held up her container before setting it down on the table. "I was going to make a good impression, then I noticed I was going to be late, and now I'm really going to be late and Professor Mills is going to kill me, and not even a stupid cupcake from a stupid culinary major will be able to change her mind on hating me. I don't even know why I am in a stupid English class anyways. I am so screwed."

When the woman finally stopped to breathe, Regina spoke, "Actually, dear, I'm not much for murder." The brunette grinned and chuckled a melodious laugh. "Torture, maybe, but not murder. I am capable of finding much better ways to punish someone."

"Excuse me?" The blonde asked, utterly confused. "I don't know who you are, Ma'am, and I'm glad you're not into murder and all, but I was just ranting about my disaster of a day."

"Well, Miss Swan, I am Regina Mills," the brunette started simply, a giant smirk plastered across her face. "However, to you I would be Miss Mills, or, perhaps, Professor Mills." The teacher chuckled once again as recognition drew across the younger woman's face, then she continued, "And as I said earlier, I do not enjoy the idea of murder, therefore, I think you are safe in my class, dear."

"I…. Um… Uh… I mean," the blonde stuttered and stammered trying to find words great enough to use with the brunette standing in front of her. As if it were not hard enough to deal with the fact that she just made a fool out of herself in front of her professor, it suddenly struck her how beautiful said professor was, and she forgot how to think for a moment. "I apologize, Miss Mills. What I meant to say was, don't we have class at 1:30 today?"

"Yes, dear, we do; However, it is just after 12:30 right now, so you still have an hour."

"What?" Emma asked, dumbfounded. "But my watch says it's just after 1:30. I swear. Look at it," the blonde shoved her wrist into her teacher's line of vision this time, proving her point, and moving herself ever-so-closer to the brunette goddess.

_Wow she smells great. _Emma thought. _Like vanilla and little tiny apples. Maybe even some baby blueberries somewhere in there._

"Well, Miss Swan," the professor started, "I believe your watch has stopped working. It needs fixing. A new battery, perhaps?"

"I… uh….yeah. Yeah, a new battery would be great," Emma smiled sheepishly, just knowing a deep red blush was washing over her face.

The professor stared at the blonde for several long moments. She watched the girl nervously shift her weight and scuff her boots on the floor before Emma finally spoke a breathy whisper.

"So…. what should we do for the next hour, Professor Mills?"


	2. Rule 23

_**A/N: Hey everyone! I just want to say a quick apology to the reveiwer that I told I would be updating on Sundays. I still plan on updating weekly (most likely Sunday) I was just unable to do so this last week as my father was rushed to the hospital because his appendix had ruptured. I've been taking care of him the last few days, so I haven't been able to update, but I would like to thank you all for continuing to read and (possibly) review.  
**__**With all my love,  
**__**~R**_

_"__So….What should we do for the next hour, Professor Mills?_

If it weren't for all the scenarios running through the professor's head at the sound of "_Professor Mills" _being spoken in such a breathy way, Regina would scoff at the question. What gave this blonde student the idea that they were now friends?

_But, God,_ She thought with an internal moan, _what I would not give to have a woman like her to be my friend… or in my bed. It's been so long, and she's cute in a shy, ramble-on-when-I'm-nervous way, she has the body of a model, she brings cupcakes when she's worried someone may be upset. I love cupcakes. It's as if she were made for me. But, _She sighed, _she's a student, of course._

"Why, Miss Swan, we're very presumptuous, aren't we?" Regina purred with a wicked grin on her face.

"Presumptuous?" The blonde mulled over the word choice for a second before giving a frantically-paced answer, "God, no, Professor Mills. I wasn't asking it like _that_. I'm not trying to get you into bed or anything. That would be ridiculous…. not saying that you're not attractive or anything because, well, damn, but… I….I wouldn't sleep with a teacher. Not even for good grades. It goes against all my rules and… I..."

"Dear, I meant you were presuming that we were friends," the professor interrupted, trying to hold back her humor at the situation.

_Did she just call me hot?_ Regina questioned.

"Are you saying we _aren't _friends, Miss Mills?" Emma asked, furrowing her eyebrows and pursing her lips, pretending to be in deep thought. "Because I brought a cupcake for a certain professor, but if we're not friends, I could find another person to give it to. Everyone jumps at the chance of receiving food from a culinary student."

Regina matched Emma's giant smirk with a haughty tone, "Well, Miss Swan, I would love to have you know that I _never_ make friends with my students. It's one of _my _rules. They are here to learn, and I to teach. It's my duty to improve you as students, not to hang with you for a few hours each day," the brunette started to grin as Emma dropped her head- and her smirk- at the obvious reprimand she was receiving. "However, if this cupcake you speak of is any good, I may have to make an exception dear."

"Oh, it's good. Everything I make is good. Everything I do is, in fact, good," Emma winked, then topped off the sentence with a smirk.

"I'll be the judge of that, Miss Swan."

Emma set the container down in front of her new professor and held out her hands, gesturing for the woman to take a bite. She didn't have to tell Regina twice. Cupcakes were her favorite of all deserts, and this one looked delicious.

Regina grabbed the tiny pastry before removing the paper wrapper. She slowly moved it towards her mouth, then took a giant bite out of it. The brunette in question moaned. Loudly.

"This is delicious."

"So, we're friends then?" Emma questioned, sporting a giant grin and trying not to look aroused at the sound the older woman made.

"For now, yes. I am able to change my mind at any given moment, though," Regina replied with a grin.

"I wouldn't expect anything less from you, Professor. If we're friends now, though, we have a few things that need to change."

The brunette professor raised one eyebrow, clearly not used to being told how things work, "And just what would that be, Miss Swan?"

"That's exactly it," noticing the look of confusion the blonde elaborated. "This whole '_Miss Swan'_ thing isn't going to work, Professor. It reminds me too much of a mom I had once."

"A 'mom you had once?'" The brunette questioned shocked, "I wasn't aware mothers were able to switch at the drop of a hat."

Emma sighed, "They are in foster care."

The professor's eyes widened and her mouth formed an 'o.' "I apologize, Mis- Emma. I apologize, Emma. I had no idea."

"Ehhh," the blonde shrugged, "it's no big deal. Just something you learn to deal with over time."

"May I ask what happened to you real parents?" Regina inquired.

"Since we're friends now, I guess you could ask," Emma teased.

A silence dropped over the room before Regina smiled and questioned, "You're going to make me ask again?"

Emma smirked, "To be fair, you never really asked the first time, but you asked if you _could_ ask. And I have already responded to that question, Miss Mills."

"I cannot believe this," Regina sighed and added an eye roll to make sure the blonde woman knew how ridiculous she was being. "Fine, Emma. What happened to your birth parents that ended in you being in foster care?"

"I'd rather not talk about it," Emma replied. "It's kind of a sad story, and we're right in the middle of the beginning of a beautiful friendship."

"So we are, Miss Swan. So we are."

* * *

"Okay, class," Professor Mills addressed her audience with a loud, authoritarian tone, "one more slide and then you can get started on tomorrow's assignment in the remaining time, and I can sit down. It sounds like a win-win situation from up here, it you ask me."

The class all responded with small comments thrown in here or there, all of them bored out of their minds at this point. Emma sat in the front row staring at her professor and new friend for the last half an hour as she gave the annual teacher's spiel on classroom etiquette. She never once looked at the slideshow, but continued to openly ogle the brunette at the front of the room.

_Dammit, Swan! Get it together! There's no way that you are going to make it through the semester if you don't!_

"Alright, then, class. The rest of the time is yours. I expect three pages tomorrow," Regina nodded before stepping away from the screen and sitting at her large, wooden desk, and beginning to do some work of her own.

_What work could she be doing already? It's, like, the first day of school. _Emma wondered. _Well, I heard she was a bitch, so maybe she gave a test or something. That is kind of a dick move, like this homework on the first day thing. _

Suddenly, Emma bolted upright with the realization that she had no idea what she was supposed to be writing. Smashing her hand between her knee and her desk, she making a loud, clanging noise. "SHIT!" she shouted grabbing her hand that was now throbbing.

Everyone around her looked up, including her brunette teacher, who raised an eyebrow "Miss Swan?"

Turning a bright shade of red at not only being caught as a clutz, but interruptin the entire class, Emma muttered, "Yes, Ma'am?"

"Must I remind you of rule 23, and the punishments that come along with breaking such a rule?"

The whole class stopped what they were doing now. Some stared at Emma with empathy in their eyes; others at the professor with fear.

_Rule 23… Rule 23… Why the hell do I not remember rule 23?_ Emma searched her thoughts over and over, looking for a clue as to what the teacher was talking about. _Okay… Rule 22 was something about having loud foods in class and 23 was… well rule 23 was when Professor Mills bent over because she dropped her pointer stick. Yup. Well, that explains why I can't remember. That ass, though. And in that tight skirt. And that tight blouse that accidentally lost a button at the top when the teacher bent down to grab the stick. Mmmmmm…._

At the sound of Emma's barely audible groan, Regina had to keep her laughter in check. She had dropped her pointer on purpose, and while bending down to retrieve it, she unpopped a button on her blouse. She was no fool. She knew Emma was attracted to her, and she to Emma. She also knew that Emma would probably break rule 23 at some point, and might need punishment. A little flirting would do no harm as long as she never acted further upon it.

"Miss Swan?" she asked again, eyebrow firmly locked in a deadly arch that told everyone that she meant business.

"Um… No, Professor. I've got it. Won't let it happen again."

"You better not," and just like that, the beautiful brunette went back to her work as if nothing had ever happened. However, minutes later, the professor looked up, catching the blonde staring at her, and gave a devilish smile. Topping it off with a wink, the woman returned to her work, though she was sure a set of two bright emerald eyes were on her the rest of the class.

_RIIIIIIIIIIIING!_

The shrill ringing of the bell signaled the end of the class.

"Goodbye, everyone, and do not forget your paper for tomorrow. I want to see you all succeed in my classroom. Got it?"

Mumbled answers came to the professor's question as the students filed out one by one. Regina watched them go, wondering if this class was going to be as painful as last year's. While watching the remaining students dwindle down, she caught a flash of Emma's bouncy, golden curls.

"Miss Swan, if you could stay after, please."

_Ah, shit. She wasn't kidding about rule 23._

Emma walked over to her teacher's desk and stood across from the brunette. Regina never spoke until she heard the last student leave.

"Miss Swan, please tell me rule 23," the professor requested in a cold, business like tone, never once stopping her paperwork to look up at her new friend.

"You may eat food, but not food that disrupts the class?" Emma questioned, knowing very well that her answer was not rule 23.

"That would be rule 22, dear. I asked for 23."

"Ummmm… Don't act like an idiot and disrupt class when you realize you've spaced off for a really long time and don't remember the assignment, but you don't want to ask the teacher because you're afraid of looking like a fool in front of your new best friend?"

"That's not it, either, though I should add that one in for next semester's class." the brunette bit back a smirk before continuing, finally looking up at the blonde beauty in front of her, "Rule 23, Miss Swan states that there shall be no foul language used in my class, followed by rule 24 that states all students should pay attention while the professor is speaking, and never disrupt the classroom under any circumstances unless they are life or death. Are those rules clear to you, Miss Swan?"

"Yes, Ma'am," Emma answered, staring down at her feet and scuffing her right combat boot across the floor.

"And, furthermore, I would like you to remind you breaking one- or both- of these rules is reprimandable by whatever punishment I, your professor, chooses." She waited for Emma to nod her understanding before continuing, "So I guess there is only one more question, Miss Swan: Do you want to be _punished_ for today's outburst?" the brunette smirked and emphasized the word punished, a bucket load of scenarios playing out in her mind.

Emma matched her friend's smirk with one of her own, "Depends what you had in mind, _Professor _Mills."


	3. The Punishment

**_A/N:_****_Welcome back, lovergirls and loverboys. :) I am happy to say we've moved on to a new chapter with new... punishments? Thanks for reading and remember to drop a view because if you don't I may have to think of a few punishments of my own :) ~R._**

"_So I guess there is only one more question, Miss Swan: Do you want to be _punished _for today's outburst?" the brunette smirked and emphasized the word punished, a bucket load of scenarios playing out in her mind._

_Emma matched her friend's smirk with one of her own, "Depends what you had in mind, Professor Mills."_

* * *

The punishment that Emma Swan received from her annoyingly beautiful professor was not going to be an easy task. Emma was sure of it as she made her way to the brunette's personal office, remembering the conversation they had before she left the classroom early that afternoon.

"_I want you to be my assistant, Miss Swan."_

"_You're kidding me, right?" the blonde smiled, hoping it was a joke._

"_No, Emma, I am not kidding. When you are not in a scheduled class, I expect you to help me with any extra duties that I may be unable to tend to myself. It's not a difficult task, but it isn't easy, either." The brunette made eye contact with the blonde._

"_Emma, I wouldn't ask you to do this if I didn't need the help. Here is a schedule of my office hours. I expect you to start this afternoon. 3:45 PM, Emma. That's a little over half an hour from now. Do not be late." Smirking, the brunette added, "You may, however, be as early as you'd like, dear."_

Emma reached the brunette's office, taking a moment to stare at the door. In big, black, block lettering, it read:

_Administrator Regina Mills_

Emma pondered this new information, _I thought she was only a professor… hmmm._

Before she could think anymore on the subject, she was pulled from her thoughts by a voice inside, "You may enter, Miss Swan."

Opening the door, Emma peeked her head inside finding her teacher at the bookshelf next to the door, "What are you? Some sort of magical psychic thing?"

"No, dear," the professor smiled at the newcomer, "I'm just highly intelligent."

"And modest, apparently," the blonde joked, dodging a hand that flung in her direction at the brunette's offense.

"Hahaha, Miss Swan. You're very funny today," the brunette said monotonously. "Actually, I meant that I saw a shadow from beneath the door. I put that clue next to the fact that you were supposed to be here at exactly the time I saw said shadow, and I figured it was you."

"And what if it wasn't me?" Emma asked, one eyebrow raised.

"I guess we don't have to speculate that point considering that it was, in fact, you standing outside my door, dearest," the brunette answered, cocking her head to the side and giving her most innocent smile.

"Whatever you say, _Regina_," Emma responded with a smile, stepping into the brunette's personal space to look her in the eyes. There was definitely something wrong with the professor today, though Emma couldn't exactly peg what it was.

"It's Professor Mills to you, Miss Swan," the brunette said, staring at the other woman with a cold gaze. "It might benefit you in the long run if you remember that, dear." _Because I get all hot and bothered on when you call me that, and, hopefully, someday you use that to both of our advantages. _The professor added in her head.

"Really, _Professor Mills_? I thought we agreed on a first name ruling here. I mean-" Emma waved her hands in the air as she spoke, but before she could go on any further, the professor grabbed both of her wrists and held them above her head, slamming the girl's back into the door that she had just entered, and effectively silencing the blonde.

Regina leaned her body into Emma's and whispered in her ear, using the most sarcastic and threatening tone she could muster, "Miss Swan, as much as I love your company and your charming sarcastic humor, I've got a killer migraine, close to a hundred pages of paperwork to fill out on the new group of imbeciles that are attending my college, and no coffee. So, if you would like to live, I suggest you stay quiet, stop flapping your hands around like some sort of crazed pelican, and sit down until I give you your first order of business."

Slowly Regina pulled away looking straight into Emma's widened hazel eyes, seeing shock, fear, and…. arousal?

_What could she possibly be aroused from._ The brunette wondered. _I just threatened her life._

"Well, then," Emma said, clearing her throat. "May I please have my arms back, Professor?"

That was when it finally hit the Professor. _No wonder she looks aroused. I have her pinned to the door and I'm pressed up against her like I'm ready to take her any second… Which I would consider if it weren't for this god damned headache._

"Yes, of course," backing away, Regina released her vice grip on the blonde's wrists and turned back to her desk. "Maybe it's better if you start tomorrow, Emma."

The blonde's face fell, though the professor couldn't see it, as her back was facing her new assistant.

_Not even a whole five hours and your new friend is trying to get rid of you. Way to go, Swan. You just set a personal record for yourself._

At her student's silence, Regina turned around, catching the pained expression on her face, and her obvious lack of eye contact, "Emma?"

"Miss Mills?" the blonde responded quietly, sounding like a wounded puppy.

"This is nothing against you, dear. I'm just not having a great first day back, okay? I just need to power through it by myself and maybe I'll be better tomorrow," the professor used the nicest tone she could conjure, only slightly annoyed by how different it felt to say something that wasn't sarcastic for the first time in a long time.

"Yeah," Emma replied dejectedly, "I get it."

"Please don't be hurt by it, Emma. I'll be more than happy to have you start your new position tomorrow afternoon. I think we could work greatly together. In fact, I'm absolutely positive we'd work greatly together. Just maybe not today." The professor discontinued her sentence with a sigh, then started again, "Honestly, Emma. I'm extremely agitated today, and I'd rather not lash out at you, dear. I don't want you to think of me in a negative manner in any way."

Emma looked up from the floor and into her teacher's eyes, "I get it Miss Mills. I honestly do. I'll see you tomorrow in class."

The blonde turned to the door, but before she could reach for the handle she heard her professor say one more thing, "It's Regina, Emma."

Turning around, Emma flashed her teacher a giant smile, "Bye Regina."

* * *

An hour later, Regina rigidly sat elbow deep in paperwork, wondering if her painkillers would ever take away her headache. If they didn't kick in soon, she was going to have to call it a day and return to the paperwork tomorrow. Not wanting to blow Emma off for another day, the brunette sat back down and tried harder than ever to focus.

_Knock, knock, knock. _Three short knocks sounded, pulling Regina from her work.

"You may enter," the brunette said, trying to return to her work until the person made themselves known.

_Knock, knock, knock._

"You may enter," the professor said louder, thinking the intruder may have missed her voice the first time.

_Knock, knock, knock._

"Oh, Jesus Christ," Regina mumbled getting up to open the door herself. "You know," she said loudly enough for whoever was on the outside to hear, "I haven't had coffee since 8 AM, and I am likely to rip your head off."

Finishing her speech, the professor reached for the door handle and turned it swiftly, yanking the door open as fast as she could. Once it was open, she found no one. Not a soul was around, not even in any of the other offices on this floor.

Regina's eyes searched to the left, then to the right, before finally looking downwards to see what her mystery knocker had left her.


	4. Waiting at Home

_**A/N: **__**And here begins chapter 4. To the guest reviewer who wanted longer chapters, I know this is still kind of short for you, but I hope you're slightly happier with 1,000 or so more words than usual. I hope you ALL enjoy the new *small* addition to the cast. He will be more prominent in the next few chapters but is mentioned in this one as well. As always, you're more than welcome- and even encouraged- to leave a review.  
Love you lots! ~R.**_

A giant mug of coffee, a box of who-knows-what, and a closed envelope addressed to one Regina Mills sat on the floor, staring back up at the wide-eyed brunette.

_I don't know who dropped this off, but I think its safe to assume I love them,_ Regina thought, a wide smile taking over her face. _I guess an easy way to figure out is to read the note._

The brunette professor leaned down to pick up the box first, and somehow managed to balance that, the coffee, and the note until she made it back to her desk. She set the box down, noticing for the first time that it read, "DO NOT TIP!" Then she took a long, long, draining drink out of the coffee mug. Whoever had sent this had made sure she wouldn't run out of coffee before the night was over; And they were also probably missing their favorite mug right about now.

Finally, Regina set down the coffee and picked up the note. Eyeing it carefully for any signs of whom it had come from. After finding absolutely no clues, she gingerly opened it, making sure not to rip anything beyond repair.

The writing on the inside was neat. Too neat. Whomever had written it spent time perfecting the grammar and spelling, and making sure it was up to the Creative Writing professor's standards.

_Regina,_

_I know you said you were having a rough day, so I thought I could maybe try to make it better. I'm sure the excessive knocking I'm bound to do will drive you nuts and make your headache worse, but I just want to make sure you come to the door and pick up what I'm leaving. This is me apologizing in advance for that. Normally, I would just come in and tell you myself, but you asked me to leave, and I'm respecting that wish; However, if you ask me to leave tomorrow, also, you can forget it because I'm not leaving. I have to be punished somehow, right?_

_Anyways, I made you a pot of coffee- as I'm sure you noticed first- and put as much of it as I could into my biggest mug. I even spilled some on my hand, trying to get it all in there. _

_As far as the box goes, I know it looks suspicious, but I promise there is no hidden bomb. It's actually your supper. I saw that you didn't eat after I entered your lecture hall at noon today, and I noticed that there were no empty containers, so I safely assumed you skipped lunch. I then assumed that you probably were not going to eat until you were done working. You don't have to tell me I'm right, I already know. _

_Also, if you're extra good and eat all your food, you might even get dessert. Of course you have to text me to come drop it off, but it's still dessert (and it may or may not be another cupcake. Leaning more towards may, though)._

_I don't know how to sign this letter, so I'm just going to put love,_

_E._

_P.S.- I don't know if you have my number, so I put it on the inside of the box. And I'm incredibly serious about the dessert, woman. Text me if you want it._

Regina set the letter down on her desk and took a minute to think about the sender. The blonde-haired, blue-eyed, full-of-life student was not-so-slowly convincing the brunette professor to let down her guard. There could be such potential there. The blonde was cute, funny, obviously caring, and wasn't one to shy away from Regina even on her worst days. She could even cook, for Christ's sake. It would be nice to have someone cook for her and Henry other than herself.

_So why am I so against it? _The brunette asked herself. _Is it because I want to protect Henry? Is it because I want to protect myself? Is it because she's a student? The age difference? Really, Regina, what is it?_

The professor sighed at herself before moving to the box of food and peeking inside. The food looked delicious; A steaming carton of what appeared to be homemade lasagna with a small side of salad and an even smaller container of dressing. Off to one side was breadstick and a set of utensils wrapped specially in a napkin. As promised, the chef's number was printed in big, bold Sharpied letters at the top of the box with a smiley face and a reminder of the dessert that awaited if she were to finish the meal in front of her.

Smiling, the professor dug into her awaiting meal before opening up her cell phone and saving Emma's number. Starting a new text, Regina decided she would thank her student.

_Emma-_

_Thank you so much for the lovely meal. It is absolutely delicious. If only I had someone to share it with. :) _

_~R_

Seconds later her screen lit up with the reply.

_Regina-_

_I know you asked me to leave earlier, but I can always come back… And I can bring dessert. :)_

_~E_

Emma smiled at her response. It seemed she did something incredibly right in this new friendship. Not only did she surprise her uptight teacher, but she seemed to have relaxed the woman as well. That was exactly what she was aiming for.

To be honest, she was also aiming the make the professor smile. Emma sat down in her seat and imagined the grin that lit up Regina's stressed and focused features. It made the blonde feel warm inside.

_I could make her smile in so many different ways. If she weren't my teacher, I'd take her out to the most romantic restaurants, or I'd cook her a meal and we could eat it by candle light. Maybe she would like a picnic. Whatever she would want, I would deliver._

Before she could finish her thoughts, she was interrupted with another text.

_Emma- _

_You really are pushing that dessert, aren't you, dear? If you must know, I would love a cupcake. Actually make that two, I have someone at home who would die to try food made by a pro. You know where to find me, dear._

And there it was...the bomb dropped in Emma's heart like a thousand pound weight.

_She's seeing someone else. You never even thought about that one, did you, Swan? _She taunted herself. _Now what are you going to do? You already said you were going to bring her dessert, and even after Ruby and Mary Margaret, you still have three thousand, six hundred and seventy-three cupcakes. Only one thing you can do._

_Regina-_

_I'll be there in five, Professor._

_Professor?_ Regina questioned. _After all this time, and all this hard work she's been putting into us being on a first name basis, she's calling me professor?_

Deciding not to dwell on what she deemed a slip in Emma's memory, the professor dug back into her work and didn't even stop when she heard a light rap on her door.

"Come in, dear," she said, face still buried in her papers.

After hearing the door creak open and closed- something she was _still _trying to get maintenance to fix- she heard the voice she had been craving all night.

"Ummm… hey," the blonde gave a small wave as soon as the professor lifted her head to see the newcomer. She took no more than three small steps into the room, trying not to get too close to the professor. "I have your cupcakes. Three of them, in case whoever's at home likes them."

"Thank you, Emma," the brunette said in response. "If they taste anything like the one I had this afternoon, I'm sure Henry will love them."

_Shit._ Emma thought, watching as her professor's eyes lit up at Henry's name, _I have no chance in hell with this woman when she's that in love with that man._

"I'll just set them on the corner of your desk, then, and be on my way, huh?" the blonde asked setting down the newbox.

Regina jumped up from her seat and wrapped her hand around Emma's wrist as she was heading towards the door.

"Emma, wait," she said, brows furrowed in confusion. "What has you in such a hurry? I thought you were going to keep me company while I ate."

"Well, you're almost done, and I'm sure you want to hurry up so you can get back home to your man friend or whatever, so I think I'll just leave you be. It'll be quicker for you that way," the student ran her fingers through her hair and sighed turning around again.

"Emma, I think you've misunderstood," Regina began.

"No, I think I get it."

"No, Emma, I don't think you do," the brunette reached out and spun her student around again. "Henry is not my 'guy friend.' He is my son and he's only four and a half. right now he's at home with my mother because I knew I'd be staying extremely late. So, yes, I would like to finish this in a timely manner, but no, I would not like you to leave," the teacher locked eyes with her student. "You've done so much for me tonight, and you've completely turned my mood around, and now I think it's fair if you enjoy the happier side of me for a while. It was you who brought it out tonight."

"Oh."

At that one mumbled word from the blonde, Regina burst out into laughter. "Oh?" She questioned. "After that long slew of rambles all I get is an 'oh?'"

"Hey, give me some time to recover, woman," the blonde joked. "You just told me you had a son and not a guy friend at home."

Regina raised an eyebrow and smirked at her new company, "And would it bother you if I, in fact, had a guy friend waiting for me at home?"

"Well… I mean…" Emma trailed off, trying to think of the proper words for such a situation. Would it bother her? Hell yes. Could she tell that to her new professor whom she had only known for less than twelve hours? Hell no.

"Miss Swan, do I have to remind you that though we are now friends, I am still your professor above everything else?" the brunette questioned, raising an eyebrow. _Do I have to remind myself, is a better question._

"No." Emma answered aloud, then mumbled, "That fact is disappointingly clear enough as it is."

The room became quiet for a minute, Regina's hold on Emma's wrist still staying firm. Finally the brunette chose to break the silence.

"So. Will you stay and keep me company, then?" she questioned hopefully. "You can even help a little if you'd like."

"If that's what you'd like, Professor," Emma answered, gently pulling her wrist out of the brunette's grasp and dropping her hand at her side, "then I would love to." She strode over and sat in the chair opposite of the teacher's own and straightened her posture.

Regina sat in her chair and smiled at the other woman before taking the last bite of her lasagna, "This really was delicious, Emma. You really have a gift for foods."

For the first time since had arrived, the younger woman gave a real smile, "Thank you. It's an old recipe I learned from one of the homes I stayed in when I was finishing high school."

"So one of your mothers taught you?" Regina asked, genuinely curious about the student's past.

"No. The cook at the group home taught me while I was trying to earn my GED," She explained.

"I thought you said you were in foster care?"

"I was, but I…. well, it doesn't really matter does it?" Emma mumbled. "I learned it and now the skill has brought me here," she motioned out to the space in front of her.

"My office?" Regina asked, confused.

"Yeah… but not really, no." Emma explained further, "I meant college, but I guess my cooking also helped me squeeze my way into your good graces, am I right, Reggie?"

In that moment, it was like time stood still. Regina stared across the table at the blonde, face showing no emotion. No anger, no happiness. Nothing. Then, the brunette slowly lifted one of her perfectly sculpted brows.

"You will _never_ call me 'Reggie' again- or any other nicknames for that matter-" she said slowly, making sure Emma had enough time to comprehend what was being spoken, "or you will lose all abilities to speak."

"Anything you say," Emma pretended to listen to the professor before rising out of her chair, moving towards the professor, and adding "_Gina_."

"Emma Swan!" Regina said, appalled by yet another nickname.

"Yes, dear?" The blonde asked moving even closer to the professor and smirking down from above her.

"I warned you, Emma Swan," Regina replied, rising from her own chair. "I warned you that you would lose all ability to speak should another pet name come forth from those lips."

"To be fair, Genie, you said nickname, not pet name," Emma challenged her, grinning like the cheshire cat.

"That's it, Emma. I promised a punishment, and a punishment you shall get."

Regina reached her hands out and started tickling the blonde. Thankfully, Emma had walked so close to the professor during her teasing that she couldn't pull away from the brunette's form of torture.

"Re….gina," The blonde gasped and giggled, trying to desperately get out her words. "Stop…. please… I.."

"I told you no nicknames, Emma, and you proceeded to use them." Regina smirked and continued, "So, now it is my turn to proceed as I promised. What better way to take away all form of speech than to tickle it out of you?"

"Oh my…. God, Regina… Stop….PLEASE," the blonde continued to beg as she tried to back away from the invading hands, but the brunette kept up with her, not letting up, even as Emma's back hit the wall.

Before she knew it, Regina was laughing along with Emma, but for different reasons. While she wasn't being tickled, the professor was feeling a generous amount of happiness that she usually only felt from spending time with her son. Her son who would love Emma if he ever met her. Who acted so much like the blonde she was currently torturing.

"REGINA!" Emma's voice and her laughter pulled the brunette out of her thoughts, but before she could recover and begin the tickling once again, Emma's hands reached out and caught her professor's wrists. Quickly switching the two's positions, the blonde pinned her teacher against the wall.

Time paused as the blonde's hazel orbs focused solely on her professor's lips, and oh-so-slowly the student leaned in, brushing her own lips with Regina's full ones.

"Emma," the professor meant to warn the girl to stop before she started something they could never finish, but as the breathy whisper escaped, Emma cut her off with her lips.

This time, though, the kiss wasn't as innocent. There was no gentle brushing of lips. There were only dancing tongues, raw emotions, and nibbling teeth. Passion was the only word Regina could think of. Uncontrollable, untamable passion.

Pulling away again, Regina cut the kiss off, "Emma. I need to get home to Henry."

The rejected look flashing across the blonde's face was heartbreaking, but the professor couldn't start a relationship with anyone right now- especially not when said anyone was a student and was probably not ready to handle any baggage Regina may carry.

"It's nothing against you, dear," Regina started, trying to let Emma down easily. "I like you. I see potential in you. But this can never happen again. Thank you for the dinner and the dessert and the help tonight, but I must go home so I can have a chance of tucking Henry in tonight. Goodnight, Emma."

With that being said, Regina rushed out the door and into the hallway, her head a swirl of emotions and thoughts that she wasn't sure she'd experience ever again.

_Maybe I'm dreaming,_ Regina wondered. _Maybe the most wonderful woman I've ever met didn't make a pass at me tonight, and if she did, maybe I'll wake up tomorrow and go make it right with her. I really hated turning her down when she was so wonderful and so attractive and so… Emma._

Emma stood in the middle of the office, wondering if and where she had made such a crucial mistake. Regina was giving her all the go-ahead signs. Wasn't she? Shaking her head, Emma walked out of the room at a slow pace, eyes never straying from the floor.

_Maybe this is all just a dream,_ she thought. _Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow and realize that I actually didn't make a pass at the most beautiful woman I know. And get rejected. Maybe it can all go back to normal. Maybe._

**_A/n: So don't hate me totally because I promise to make up for how this ended, but I just couldn't let everything be so easy for our girls. There's no way life is ever that easy, yeah? I at least hope ya'll enjoyed the pre-kiss/kiss scene because I know I enjoyed writing it.  
_****_Love always  
_****_~R._**


	5. First Exceptions

**A/N:** ** So here it is folks, I hope ya'll enjoy. I know, I know, it's not Sunday, and technically it just became Tuesday about 17 minutes ago, but I can't help it this week. I haven't been around internet. On the really bright side, guess who scored the role of Dorothy in her school's musical? Anyways, I apologize profusely and hope you'll all forgive me since I love you all.  
****~R.**

_Maybe I'm dreaming, _Regina wondered. _Maybe the most wonderful woman I've ever met didn't make a pass at me tonight, and if she did, maybe I'll wake up tomorrow and go make it right with her. I really hated turning her down when she was so wonderful and so attractive and so… Emma._

Emma stood in the middle of the office, wondering if and where she had made such a crucial mistake. Regina was giving her all the go-ahead signs. Wasn't she? Shaking her head, Emma walked out of the room at a slow pace, eyes never straying from the floor.

_Maybe this is all just a dream,_ she thought. _Maybe I'll wake up tomorrow and realize that I actually didn't make a pass at the most beautiful woman I know. And get rejected. Maybe it can all go back to normal. Maybe._

* * *

When Regina arrived home that night, she was met with a small, giggling body slamming into her knees, and two tiny, pudgy arms circling around her knees.

"MOOOMMMMAA!" the small child yelled. "I MISSED YOU!"

"Hello, baby boy," the brunette replied, bending down and encircling her tiny boy in her arms. "How was spending the day with your abuela, mi amour?"

The small boy smiled wider than any outsider would think possible as he answered, "We maked cookies, and drawed dinos, and watched Scooby, and we even had nap time, Momma!"

Regina widened her eyes in faux shock, "My gosh, Henry! It sounds like someone had a _very_ busy day!" She brushed her hand through his hair. It was getting too long for his small forehead, and the bangs were starting to sweep in front of his eyes. "I bet you're really tired!"

The small brunette narrowed his eyes at his mother, a look Regina remembered sending to her own mother many, many times as a child. "Nope. Not tired, Momma. No bedtime for Henry!" The child spun on his toes and ran the other direction.

"Henry!" Regina called after him. "You know better than to run in this house!" But it seemed the brunette was too late, as she could no longer see nor hear the boy as he disappeared further into her house.

The professor's house was large. I wasn't the largest house Regina had ever seen, but it was close, coming second to only the mansion her parents currently owned. Even if Regina didn't think of the house as large on a regular basis, the fact became glaringly obvious whenever her son decided to play hide-and-seek-so-I-don't-have-to-do-what-Mommy-says.

"Henry," she called sweetly. "My friend, Emma made you a sweet, my sweet." She walked down the hall further before turning a corner and adding, "It's our favorite."

Soon after, the mother saw the short brunette locks of her son come around the corner before he peeked out only his eyes, which were narrowed at his mother. "Cupcakes?" he questioned, trying to feel out the situation, as his mother had tricked him with promises before.

"Yes, my handsome boy. Cupcakes," Regina confirmed with a smile.

"And I get to eat it before bed, Momma?"

Regina raised an eyebrow in contemplation, "You can eat it before your bath."

The brunette tried to hold back a smile as the little boy's eyes widened comically.

"REALLY, MOMMA?! YOU MEAN IT?" he shouted, clearly seeing that this was a special situation. It was not every day his healthy mother allowed sugar after nine pm.

"On one condition, my sweet," Regina replied, "You must do as mommy tells you- without whining- for the rest of your life. Do you understand, Henry?"

"I understand, Momma!" he shouted, running towards his brunette mother, and agreeing to anything that would get him the delicious treat.

Just then Regina felt a hand on her shoulder, "Really, my darling daughter? The rest of his life."

Regina just chuckled along with the woman behind her and sent her son to the kitchen before answering, "I'm just trying to make the future easier, Mother- at least until he realizes that sometimes promises do get broken. Until then, I'll try to keep him reminded that breaking a promise to Mommy is like breaking a promise to Santa when you tell him you'll put out cookies and carrots, but you don't really do it."

"I wish I had thought about that when you were a child," Cora retorted wistfully.

"Don't be silly, mother. You know I never believed an overweight man in a big fluffy suit could make it down our chimney."

"Ah, yes," the eldest brunette responded. She looked off into the distance, as if the memory was playing out in front of her. "What was it you told me? 'We shouldn't leave cookies for an old guy who is clearly to big to make it inside the chimney.' I believe you even suggested Weight Watchers."

"What can I say, mother? I always was a healthy child."

Cora laughed before flashing a very wicked-and knowing- smile at her daughter. "So I know, which brings me to question: Why are you offering Henry a cupcake this late at night, dear?"

"I thought he could use a treat, as he doesn't get them often." Regina tried to deflect the question, but Cora was having none of it.

"Come on, dear. We both know Henry gets plenty of treats and sugar when I'm around."

"Speaking of which," Regina reprimanded, "you need to stop feeding my son future diabetes. He's with you every day, and you give him sugar _every_ day."  
"I'm his grandmother." Cora replied with a smirk, "It's part of the job."

Regina narrowed her eyes at her mother, "It's part of your job to-"

"Regina, my love," Her mother interrupted. "Stop deflecting and answer the question."

"Well, mother, if you must know-"

"I must know."

"MMMMOOOOOOOMMMMMAAAAA!" came a bellow from the kitchen.

"I believe that's my cue," Regina laughed running towards her awaiting son.

"This is not over, dear!" The promise followed the professor retreating back, accompanied by her own melodious laughter.

* * *

"If it isn't the one-the only- EMMA SWAN!" Ruby announced in her best ring-side voice as the blonde entered their dorm room.

"Cut the crap, Rubes." Emma grumbled. "I'm in no mood to deal with a loud, borderline lunatic roommate."

The brunette cringed at the blonde's cruel words and upset tone. Ruby wasn't actually hurt by the blonde- she could tell Emma wasn't actually upset with her, but just misplacing anger. What make the woman cringe, though, was the thought of someone hurting her best friend.

The brunette stood up and wrapped her arms around Emma, knowing as soon as the blonde melted into her instead of pulling away, that this was a very rough day for the blonde.

"You wanna talk about it, babe?" She questioned, but was only met with wetness as her best friend silently leaked tears upon her shoulder. "Girl trouble, I'm guessing."

The blonde sniffled, "It's so stupid, Ruby. It's stupid and I'm even more stupid."

"You're not stupid, sugar," the brunette rubbed her back. "Let's go lie down, okay? We'll share a bed and talk about all of life's problems. It'll be just like old times, yeah?"

"I don't know," Emma joked. "What if your secret girlfriend you won't tell me about comes and sees us? She might get a bit jealous."

"I can invite her to listen, too, if you want." Ruby offered. "More support is like quicker healing, or some philosophical shit like that, right?"

"Nah, Rubes. You're enough. I don't want your girlfriend thinking you room with a whackjob."

"Well, there's where you're wrong, hot chick." Ruby replied. "My girlfriend already knows I live with a lunatic." Judging by the look said lunatic was giving her, the brunette decided she should continue sooner rather than later, "AND… She happens to care for that lunatic just as much as I do, even if she hasn't met her yet. She knows you're like family to me. If you just want it to be us tonight, though, I totally get it, and so will she."

"It'd be nice."

"Then it shall be so, blondie."

* * *

"So you're telling me that this woman- who is willing to cook dinner for you and spend time working with you without complaint- is just a person to you and absolutely nothing more?" Cora asked, shocked.

"Absolutely nothing more." Regina repeated.

"I call bullshit, my love."

After spending an hour completing Henry's usual bedtime ritual, Regina found herself and her mother in her study, reliving the night's events.

"Excuse Me?!" Regina exclaimed. "When exactly did you develop a profane mouth, Mother?"

"When you started lying to my face, daughter," Cora laughed.

The younger brunette looked away, "So I may feel a slight attraction to her, but it will not go any further than that."

"Why not?" Cora asked, then noticing Regina's look, continued, "Oh, sweetheart. Don't look at me like I just told you your great aunt Tilly just came back from the grave. I just stating the simple facts here. She's of legal age. She's obviously attractive and well-fit. She can cook better than Paula Dean. She's intelligent. You're attracted to her, and you deserve to be. You'd never go for anything less than what you absolutely want in a person."

Regina stared at her mother in a moment of silence before suddenly breaking it with a groan, "She's a student, mother."

"I am perfectly aware."

"I never told you that part, mother? How are you _perfectly aware?"_

"I'm not an idiot, my dear," Cora answered, smiling and reaching over to take her daughter's hands. "I see you really like this woman, but I see you're holding back. From the description you gave me, all I could see wrong is that she might possibly be a student."

Regina put her hand that wasn't being held over her face, "So now you see my dilemma."

"No, dear, I don't believe I do."

Regina pulled back, eyes widening, mouth hanging open in shock.

"Look, Regina," Cora started. "I was in your place once. No, I was never attracted to a student, but before you became head administrator, dear, that was my position. I was constantly having to choose between work and other things. Then, one day I chose both. And your father and I ended up with you."

Regina stared at her, not exactly getting how it all fit together.

"What I'm saying, dear, is that you can't let your job stop you from making decisions in other parts of your life. Would dating this woman be unethical? Yes, but plenty people in your position have done it, and continually do so, even when there is much less attraction between them than what is obviously between the two of you. Plus, who's going to fire you? You are the head administrator, my love. You can make exceptions if need be.  
"I just really don't know, mother. It's not right," Regina argued.

"I'm not telling you to sleep with every student, Regina. I'm telling you that if you think it's worth the risk- even slightly- you should go after her before you lose her." Cora encouraged. "If you're not at all okay with that option, though, you can wait until next semester when she's no longer your student."

"I just don't know if it'd ever work, Mother," the professor replied. "She's so young and she has so much going for her. I have Henry and you and baggage."

"As I said before, my daughter, sometimes you have to get over yourself, take a chance, and start making exceptions."

* * *

"You fell for the biggest stone-cold bitch of a teacher in less than two days."

Emma reached out and smacked the brunette lying next to her in her bed, "You don't know her."

"It's been two days, Emma. Are you sure you know her?" The brunette tried to reason.

"I know she likes to make jokes. I know her favorite dessert is a cupcake and she loves lasagna. I know she has a son. I know she loves and cares for him more than anything in the world. I know she hides her emotions behind what you so politely call a stone-cold bitch facade. I know I can read what's going through her mind just by looking into her eyes, and I know she's been through so much more than some people would even consider possible."

"You've really got it bad for Mills, eh?" Ruby asked.

"Yeah, Rubes. I may have it bad for Regina. I kissed her, and she kissed back, and she left, and now we're here and I don't know what to do. So yeah, I might have it bad."

"But I thought you never fall for your teachers."

"Me too, but I've never taken a class with a female teacher for this specific purpose and the one time I make an exception, _POOF_! Everything I've ever gone against is knocking at my front door, and I'm inviting them all in for cupcakes!" Emma raised her voice until she was practically shouting at the end. "I mean, I don't fall for people, Rubes. I have one night stands and I move on. I don't want that to happen here."

"It looks like you're just going to have to keep making exceptions, Em." Ruby replied. "I mean, you obviously care a lot about Mills. You wouldn't be able to hit it and quit it. I can see it in your eyes."

"So what do I do?" Emma asked desperately, trying to think of anything that could possibly work.

"You do what any self-respecting gay woman does when trying to catch another self-respecting possibly, possibly not gay woman. You woo her."

"Rubes, I would have no idea how to 'woo' a woman if you gave me a _For Dummies_ book about it. I've never been the type to 'woo.'"

The brunette smirked at her roomate, "I thought we were making exceptions, here."


	6. Ruined

**_A/N:_****_Why, hello loves. Here's a new update. I don't have much to say this week except that if you reviewed on the last chapter and I didn't reply I apologize and I promise I have already read all of the reviews and will respond to them in the near future. If you want to continue to review (which I would love :D) you'll probably just get more than one reply because I reply to most of them separately. Also if you want a laugh, you should check out my facebook here: www. facebook riley. c. kay and watch the "alien" videos my sister and I made. The bloopers are the best. _**_  
_**_Hope you enjoy this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it._**_  
_**_~R._**

_The brunette smirked at her roommate, "I thought we were making exceptions, here."_

* * *

Emma woke up the next day with too many things to think of. How should she go about wooing Regina? Should she go to class and attempt to learn more about not only the professor's subject, but also the professor herself? Should she skip the class the next few days? And what about being Regina's assistant? Was that still a withstanding job? Or had that ended before it really even started?

Before the blonde could read too far into her current, overly upsetting situation, she received a text from the woman of her thoughts.

_Emma-_

_Please do not forget office hours today. I could still use the help, and you still need to serve your time. :)_

The blonde stared at the message before passing the phone to her brunette roommate that was sitting across from her.

"This is good, Emma," Ruby encouraged, handing the blonde her cellphone and a cup of fresh coffee with nowhere near enough sugar for Emma's liking. "It means she isn't upset with you. Maybe she just needed some time to think things over, too. I mean, you did, didn't you."

"That's the thing, Rubes," Emma sighed, rubbing one palm over her face. "I didn't take the time think things over. I basically jumped the woman and I barely even knew her."

"Well, you obviously saw something you liked." The brunette smirked over her coffee cup and winked at the blonde.

"This isn't the time for jokes, Ruby. I'm really struggling with this." Emma shook her head. "This isn't who I am. I don't just go after a woman like this. I do one night stands. I do hit-it-and-quit-its. I do women with no strings attached. I don't fall for people."

Ruby smiled again, this time it showed how much she cared, instead of her humor at the blonde. Reaching across the table she pulled Emma into a hug, "Emma, we had this conversation last night. Obviously Mills is an extremely different situation. You need to make an exception here. You don't want her slipping through your fingers, do you?"

"I don't want her running away, do I?" Emma sighed. She was resigned to agreeing with Ruby eventually, but it would be much easier for her to end this _thing _she and Regina had now, than Regina ending it later, right?

Right.

"Emma." Ruby gave the blonde her signature glare, "You're being an idiot."

"EXCUSE M-"

"Shut up." The brunette put a hand over her roommate's mouth. "As I was saying, you're being an idiot." Ruby took in the other girl's look of hurt, "I mean that in the most loving way, honey. But you do need to know that I do mean it."

Once Ruby removed her hand Emma spoke. "I don't get it. Why am I an idiot?"

"Because, Emma. The woman of your dreams just asked you to come back and you're sitting here questioning if you have a chance with her instead of getting ready to see her and woo her."

Emma looked at her best friend, "You're right, Rubes, but I'm scared."

"You should be. Mills is one scary bitch." Ruby ducked an unfrosted cupcake that flew her direction, but smiled when she heard laughter break from her long-time friend's lips.

* * *

Regina rolled over and looked at her alarm clock. She didn't have any classes to teach on Fridays, but she still had to keep up with her administrative duties. Why she ever agreed to take over the head position when her mother retired _and _to continue teaching classes was beyond her.

_At least I now have Emma to help me._

Emma. The adorable, foot-in-mouth blonde who had attacked her with her lips after only knowing the professor for a day.

Regina struggled with her thoughts about the girl. She liked Emma. She really did, but it was too soon to tell, and she never believed in love at first sight. Though, she never believed in a lot of things, but look at where life had taken her. She was a single mother of a five year old boy who also managed to run a college, teach a few courses, _and _make it home in time to kiss her baby boy goodnight. She had lost her husband, her father, and even the small little girl who once grew inside of her. She had entered a personal hell, and when it looked impossible, she drug herself through and escaped out the other side with help from no one except her mother and her self.

_Even if I did like Emma, she would run after hearing my story. Anyone in their right mind would. But nothing about her screams 'In-her-right-mind,' so maybe we could give it a shot._

The brunette professor pulled out her phone and texted the blonde.

_Emma-_

_Please do not forget office hours today. I could still use the help, and you still need to serve your time. _

After rereading the text and adding a smiley face at the end, Regina deemed it perfect and sent it off to the woman she could not stop thinking about, got out of her bed, and headed to the shower.

Today was going to be a great day.

* * *

Regina waited in her desk for almost an hour before Emma knocked on the door.

"Come in," the administrator called sweetly.

The handle turned and the heavy wooden door opened to reveal a drenched blonde carrying a medium-sized Rubbermaid container.

"Hey," the newcomer said, nervously looking down at her feet and bringing hand up to pull at the back of her neck, "how's it goin'?"

Regina's mouth dropped in shock as she jumped up and almost ran towards the blonde, "Emma, you're drenched!"

"I know, and I'm sorry if I'm ruining your carpet or furniture or whatever, but it's really raining out." The student scuffed a shoe on the floor, still staring down at her feet.

"No, Emma. That's fine," Regina said. She did notice, however, that the blonde still refused to make eye contact, and placed a hand on the blonde girl's chin and lifting up. "Really, dear. I'm not upset."

"Okay."

"I'm serious, Emma." Regina stared into the hazel pools in front of her. "Let me just go get you something to dry off with."

Before the blonde could protest, her professor was out of the room, and off to who-knows-where to get Emma who-knows-what so the blonde could dry off. This left Emma alone to her thoughts.

"My Lord," Emma chastised herself aloud, thinking the brunette would be gone long enough not to hear, "You'd be less awkward if you screamed 'I love Regina Mills and I've only known her a wee bit over two days!' while running through campus. Get it together, Swan." She ran a pale hand through her long blonde locks, "Find a way to woo the woman so these feelings can stop being one-sided. Then maybe you'll be able to sleep at night."

* * *

Regina rushed down the hallway and into her old office. What a blessing it was to be able to still call the place hers. Now she had a place to store her stuff without cramping her new office. It was truly a blessing when one was as prepared as Regina Mills, and always thought to bring along the necessities for any given occaission.

The brunette entered the room and started rummaging through the adjoining closet area. She pulled out her overnight bag and rushed back to her new office, making sure to relock the door before she left.

Minutes later, she stood outside her office, wondering who Emma could possibly be talking to. There was no one else who would dare enter her office without her knowing of their presence.

She waited for a moment, knowing it was wrong to eavesdrop, but not wanting to interrupt the blonde's obviously annoyed conversation with whomever the intruder was.

"My Lord, You'd be less awkward if you screamed 'I love Regina Mills and I've only known her a wee bit over two days!' while running through campus. Get it together, Swan. Find a way to woo the woman so these feelings can stop being one-sided. Then maybe you'll be able to sleep at night."

Regina held her breath. There was no intruder. Just Emma speaking to… Emma. Saying things that obviously weren't meant for the brunette's ears. Things that had her heart beating wildly.

_She actually has feelings for me. She wants to woo me. She…. _loves _me after two days?_

Regina's head was reeling, but as she looked up through the slightly ajar door, then looked back down at her hands, she remembered why she had left the room. Emma was soaking wet and was likely to catch pneumonia if she stood in those damp clothes any longer.

The professor forced her legs to carry her into her office. "Here you go, dear. In this bag there should be a towel, a t-shirt and a pair of sweats. You can go in there and change," she motioned to the bathroom connected to her office. "On second thought, you should take a shower to warm yourself up."

"Miss Mills, it's really not that bad," the blonde argued, shivering. "I don't need to take a shower. It'll cut into my work time, and I know I'm already late."

"Nonsense, Emma. I'd rather you cut into time today than miss the next week and a half because you've caught pneumonia." Emma smiled and Regina returned the gesture before wrapping a loose arm around the blonde and ushering her towards the bathroom. "Take as much time as you need, I'll still be here when you come out."

The blonde disappeared into the bathroom and locked the door while Regina returned to her original seat and opened her computer. Five minutes passed, and the brunette had only typed on sentence, not being able to focus as her mind kept flashing back to Emma's words.

_She said she loved me, but do I feel the same way? Of course not. It's only been a few days, and… well… love at first sight is impossible. I do like her, though. I am willing to try whatever this is if she is._

Regina heard the running water click off and rapped her knuckles on the door. She needed to take a walk to clear her mind.

"Emma?" she asked through the door.

"Yeah?"

"I think I'm going to go grab us some coffee from down the block. Would you like anything?" The brunette asked politely.

The blonde emerged in the new clothing with a towel drying the ends of her hair. Regina noticed she was still acting shyly, and wondered why Emma was acting so strangely.

_I surely cannot be because she wants to date me, can it?_

"No need, boss. There's coffee in the container I brought in with me," she gestured to the corner of the administrator's desk that had her box sitting on it. "Sorry I forgot to mention it when I walked in. You kind of left in a hurry."

She noticed Regina glaring at the box and hurriedly continued, "Don't be upset. I had them put the coffee in special thermoses so they wouldn't get cold. I didn't really know what you liked, but so I got a spiced pumpkin macchiato and a plain black decaf in case you didn't like the first option."

"I'm not upset, dear," Regina amended. "At least, not over the coffee possibly being cold. I just- to be honest, Emma, I was going to go get coffee at the local shop so I could clear my head a bit."

"Oh," Emma suddenly looked slightly hurt. "I would pretend to trip and spill on myself so you would have to go get a new cup, but I don't know how many extra pairs of clothing you have stored in this place, and I wouldn't want to ruin a good t-shirt. I'm not too sure you have many."

"Oh, really, Miss Swan?" Regina asked, slowly moving towards the blonde. "And what exactly do you mean by that?"

"Only that you're state of dress is always impeccable, Professor," Emma smiled innocently, but widely.

"I'll have you know I have much more than school clothing in my closet, Emma," Regina defended herself. "I'm not always an uptight administrator. In fact, you're wearing the clothes I was planning to change into if I had to stay too late tonight."

"They're very comfy," the blonde teased.

Regina stepped closer so there was only a breath between the two of them and grabbed the collar of the shirt Emma was wearing. Emma tried to back away but a hand on her hip stopped her.

"Don't back out now, Miss Swan," came the warning, but Emma didn't listen. Instead, she backed up and looked straight into the professor's eyes.

"We need to talk, Regina."

Looking dejected, the brunette turned around and plopped ungracefully in one of the two leather couches in her office with a huge sigh. She gestured to the other one.

"Sit."

Emma wasn't sure if it was a command or not, but it sounded like one, so she did as she was told.

Silence passed for minutes between the two before Regina looked into Emma's eyes. "You said we sound talk, Emma, so talk," she prodded gently.

"I like you. A lot." _Shit. Way to be subtle, Swan._

"And I you, Miss Swan."

"No, Regina. I like you as more than a friend. I look at you and I think you're this amazing, beautiful woman with so much on her plate, but you manage to be perfect at every moment and you just…. amaze me," as per usual, Emma rambled everything she had to say into one quick sentence before looking up at the brunette.

"Go on."

"I don't know what else to say, Regina. I took the time to think everything through. I really did, and I made the decision that I was going to take my time, I was going to listen to you, and work with you, and pay attention to the small details that you perfected so I could know more about you. Then I was going to use it all to woo you in multiple romantic gestures, in hopes that you'd someday feel like I'm worth taking a chance on, but when we sat down here, I ruined it by saying I like you. And I don't want you to be scared of me or this or anything. And I don't want you to run away from it because I think we have something special."

"And…" Regina encouraged her to continue once again.

"And I know it's only been a few days, which is why I was waiting to make a move. Well, I guess I should say _another_ move because I did attack you last night."

"Well, Miss Swan. That is a lot to consider." Regina pretended to be deep in thought.

"I understand, Professor, and I'm willing to give you as much time and space that is needed to think it over." Emma looked down at her feet dejectedly, wondering if she had just ruined everything.

Silence. Silence was all she heard. Then she felt hands on each of her cheeks, pulling her face up and towards full, plump, red lips.

She fell into the kiss. Forgot where she was. Forgot what day it was and how much word still needed to be completed before she went home. She didn't forget, however, who owned the luscious lips that were connected with hers.

"Regina." She whispered through a smile as they pulled apart.

"Yes, dear?"

"I thought you didn't make friends with students," Emma asked, smirking.

"I wouldn't call us friends, Emma," came the snarky response, followed by lips and tongue. "I can assure you I don't do that with friends."

"Well, we should stop then, too." Emma suggested.

"Excuse me?" The brunette asked pulling back.

"I'm just saying, Reggie. There is no way I can have time to think of how to woo you if you're constantly sucking on my face."

The women broke out in simultaneous loud laughter, but the brunette was the first to recover.

"...And the moment is ruined."


	7. Let the Wooing Begin!

**_A/N:_****_ Hey ya'll. I hope you enjoy this next update. I know it's longer ang that's exciting, but I have to give you a warning, though. I probably cannot post next week because I'll be traveling from Small-town Iowa to Big-city Boston! Anyways, leave your thoughts, comments, reviews, etc.  
Love always!  
~R_**

"_I'm just saying, Reggie. There is no way I can have time to think of how to woo you if you're constantly sucking on my face."_

_The women broke out in simultaneous loud laughter, but the brunette was the first to recover._

"_...And the moment is ruined."_

* * *

"How much longer?" a whine came from the couch to the left of Regina's desk. Four hours had passed since Emma and Regina decided how they would move forward with their budding relationship. Those hours were filled with silence, work, and- worst of all- no touching.

"Well, I guess office hours were over two hours ago, dear," the brunette responded offhandedly. "You're welcome to leave whenever."

Emma stuck her lip out into a pout, "Trying to get rid of me already?"

Looking up from her work, Regina furrowed her brows and frowned at the blonde, "Of course not, Emma. I would never try to get rid of you."

The student stood from her chair and walked to her professor's desk, pushing herself up to sit on it. Once she was firmly perched where she wanted to be, she kicked her legs back and forth and smiled at her professor, never saying a word.

"Emma," Regina warned, seeing the seemingly innocent smile starting to turn devious.

"Yes, Professor?" Emma asked, crossing her legs at the knee and wishing she was wearing something sexier than sweatpants and a t-shirt.

"I know what you're thinking," Regina smirked at the blonde. "Trust me. I can think of better ways to spend this time, too," she places a hand on Emma's upper thigh, "_but,_ I really need to get this paperwork done today. I know I don't have class tomorrow because it's Sunday, but that's Henry and I's day. I do have class, though, on Monday and Wednesday next week, and meetings every other day. The only day I get off is tomorrow, and an occasional Friday."

"So I guess cooking you dinner tomorrow night is out of the question, then?"

Regina looked up in shock, "I beg your pardon? I never said that."

The widened eyes that met Emma's were clearly trying to think of why Emma would infer such a thing, so the blonde decided to help. "You said tomorrow is your day with Henry, Regina. I would never take away your day with him."

The brunette continued to stare at Emma, her thoughts clearly torn. She managed to stutter through a sentence, "I-I'm sure Henry wouldn't mind spending the night with his Grandmother."

Emma smiled and leaned down, dropping a small kiss to the tip of Regina's nose, "You're so cute, Reggie, but I won't make you do that."

Regina's eyes turned from confusion to faux anger. "Call me that one more time, Miss Swan, and we're over."

The brunette's scowl didn't last when met with Emma's devious smile and her next comment: "Is it strange that the whole 'Miss Swan' thing is kind of a turn on?"

"Well," Regina whispered, her voice dropping an octave as she leaned forward and whispered into Emma's ear, "I enjoy when you call me professor. So what does that tell you?"

The professor leaned back in her chair, an arm resting on each side, looking like the cat that just caught the canary.

_And, boy, did she catch the damn canary._ Emma thought to herself.

"If you're not careful, _professor,_ I might have to figure out a way to wipe that smirk from your gorgeous lips."

"Oh, but how can you think of a way to woo me if you're too busy sucking on my face, dear?" The brunette grinned wickedly as she used Emma's words against her.

"Now, who in the world would put such inhumane thoughts inside your head, woman?" Emma questioned before leaning down and locking her lips with the almost too attractive brunette.

When the blonde pulled away moments later, she was met with closed eyes, a dazzling white smile and a hum of appreciation.

"I have an idea," the blonde offered.

"And what would that be dear?" Regina asked, opening her eyes and meeting hazel.

"If tomorrow is your day with Henry, and I was going to ask you to come over tomorrow because Sundays are your only free days for awhile," Emma's voice shook. She knew the question she was going to propose would be a big step in Regina's playbook, and she honestly wouldn't be surprised if the brunette told her no. "What I'm trying to ask is if you wouldn't mind bringing the kid over, too. I promise to keep everything PG. I wouldn't want to scar him for life or anything."

"I- I don't-"

Emma stopped Regina before she could get any further, knowing it would be hard for the brunette to answer the question and giving her the out she was looking for. "If you want to say no, Regina, it's okay. I can wait as long as you want for me to meet Henry. You set the pace, here."

"Thank you, Emma." The blonde watched her professor relax. All the tense muscles, the widened eyes, the stuttering- it was there and gone before her very eyes. She knew Regina was about to say no, and though she wasn't surprised, she was a wee bit disappointed. "It's very nice of you to invite the both of us, but I don't know if I'm ready for that yet. I like you, and I trust you, but Henry is- Henry's my baby boy, and if anything were to happen between us- I just don't want him to have to lose someone again."

"That's very understandable." Emma answered.

"You're not upset?" The brunette asked, and Emma saw something flash across her face. _Was that fear?_

"Of course not," Emma leaned down to meet the plump lips once again. "I'm a tad disappointed, I'll admit. I'm sure any offspring of yours is an amazing kid that I'd love to meet, but I respect your choice." Another kiss. "It shows you're a great mother." Another. "And that makes me like you even more." One more. "However-"

"However?" the brunette questioned, a smile still adorning her face as she looked up at the blonde.

"I have to either 1) Leave and figure out a new way to woo you, or 2) Stay here and pretend to keep working while I figure out a new way to woo you."

"Ahhh," Regina smiled, "That's why you took so long to finish proof-reading one file."

"Ahaha. You're so cute when you try to be funny, Reggie." Emma leaned down and gently collided their lips one last time. "I seriously am leaving now, babe," she said, sliding off the desk and onto the floor.

"Before you go, Emma-"

The blonde stopped in her tracks and spun around to find Regina right behind her. "Yes?"

The brunette wrapped her arms around the blonde's neck and crashed their lips together in a bruising kiss. It was the most passionate kiss they had shared since their first, and Emma definitely didn't mind.

Once Regina was satisfied that her tongue had won their little battle, and her brain told her she needed oxygen, she pulled away, a little breathless.

"Not complaining one bit," Emma smiled, "But what was that? And what did I do to deserve it?"

"That, my dear, was something to remember me by, and you'll have to figure out what you did if you ever want another kiss," Regina matched Emma's smile with a faux innocent one of her own. "When are you planning on seeing me again, Miss Swan?" the professor inquired.

"That is for me to know and you to find out. Goodbye, Reggie."

And with that, Emma scampered out the door, loving the melodious sound of Regina's laughter as it trailed behind her. She was going to impress this woman. She was going to woo her. The only question was the same question she had been formulating answers to all night: How?

* * *

Another hour had passed before Regina had finished with all her work. It was nearly nine pm, and the brunette was afraid that her son would be in bed by the time she pulled into the garage, so the woman rushed about her office, shutting lights off, grabbing her purse, locking the door, and…. she heard her phone ring from the other side.

"Dammit." Rushing to unlock the door, Regina sprinted into the office, grabbed the device off her desk and rushed back out. She flipped the phone open to see she had a text from Emma.

_Let the wooing begin, Professor._

_-E_ _;)_

Regina smiled down at the text before her, all sense of time lost as she read it over and over again, standing stock still in the middle of the hallway. After minutes of staring, she felt the device vibrate longer and with more urgency, signaling her to it up before she even got a look at the name.

"Professor Mills?" She answered, the smile evident in her voice.

"I wish I could see the smile has currently lit up your gorgeous face, Professor." the voice responded.

"And what makes you think I'm smiling, Emma?" The smile grew during this question.

"I can hear it through your voice. It has a lift to it that is never there unless you're smiling." _Had Emma been paying that close attention to her all this while?_

"Oh, really? You've noticed so after only these few days, huh?" Regina teased the blonde, "That's kind of creepy, Miss- Oh my God." The brunette interrupted herself with her reaction to the sight in front of her.

"Actually, Emma is just fine, though I can see how you'd make that mistake." The blonde joked.

"Shut up."

"Excuse me?"

"Shut up, Emma. I'm not going to let you ruin this moment." Regina stared ahead of her at her car, clearly seeing what used to be the black leather interior of her car. The only problem? It was now covered a million small paper hearts, each one with a new word on it.

"Emma, this is so sweet of you." Regina said reading the biggest heart through the window. It was taped to the middle of the windshield and read:

_Roses are red _

_Violets are blue_

_This is only the beginning_

_Prepare to be wooed_

"It's just a little something-something." Emma replied shyly. "No big deal."

"Emma, there has to be hundreds of hearts here," Regina replied, flabberghasted. "There is no way this is a little deal."

"Yeah, well… I may have been planning ways to woo you since before today."

"Why am I not surprised in your overconfidence, Miss Swan?" The brunette questioned as a smirk drew across her lips. "And what if I had told you no today? What If I had not told you I was interested in you?"

"Well, I still would've tried something," the blonde laughed quietly. " I mean, I would've started with something on a smaller scale than this, but I would've tried something."

"One more question, dear."

"Yes, Reggie?"

"How the hell did you get into my car to do all of this?" The thought had just popped into the professor's mind and now she was curious- if not a bit concerned- as to how this plan went into action.

"I thought you'd never ask," the blonde laughed out louder this time. "The answer to that, Regina, is behind you."

Regina turned around to see Emma sitting on the flight of steps she had just descended moments before, twirling a set of keys on her finger. Taking the necessary steps to reach her, Regina smiled at the look that crossed Emma's face. Was it…. _shame?_

"Look, Regina," the blonde started as the other woman made her way over. "I want you to know I took these because I had to, and I would never intentionally steal from or harm you in any way, shape, or-"

She was cut off by a soft finger landing on her lips, "You don't have to apologize, dear. It's beautiful. Slightly worrisome because I never noticed my keys missing, but beautiful."

"Well, that's a story for another time, Reggie. As I'm sure you're aware, you have a little man waiting for his mama to tuck him in tonight."

The smile that crossed Emma's face at the mention of her son made Regina rethink previous decisions. Would it be so bad introducing Henry to Emma? Would it really be so terrible to let the boy be around Mommy's new friend? Would it be so bad if-

"Regina? Where'd you go?" a soft voice broke her thoughts.

"Nowhere." she shook her head and smiled at her own thoughts that had flown away from here. "I'm right here, but as you mentioned, my baby boy is waiting. Goodnight, Emma."

"Goodnight, beautiful." Emma grabbed her hand, gave it a slight kiss and a quick squeeze before hopping up and turning around.

"No goodnight kiss?" she heard the voice behind her call out. "Why, Miss Swan, you seem to be setting the bar pretty high just to drop it low again."

"I'm afraid, mi'lady, that if I attempt a single goodnight kiss to those soft, full, gorgeous lips, that I may not be able to stop. I don't want to be the one to step between a child and his mother, so with all my gentlewomanly respect in tact, I choose to leave without one."

Regina was glad it was dark. She couldn't remember the last time she blushed this brightly.

"And what would you say if the mother wanted a kiss?" She questioned.

"I would say, Reggie, that it will have to wait. Absence makes the heart grow fonder." And with that, the blonde disappeared- once again- into the night.

* * *

Regina stepped into the room and was met with her mother holding a very sleepy Henry. She was greeted with a simultaneous, "Hello dear!" and, "Momma!"

"Hello, mother," she kissed the older woman on the cheek and stole her little boy out of her arms, "and hello to you, my baby boy."

"I'm not a baby, momma." He whined.

"You'll always be momma's baby, baby."

"I remember telling you the same thing, my dear," Cora gave a small chuckle. "I remember you responding the same way, too."

"Like mother, like son. Right Henry?" She asked. When no reply came, she looked down to see his eyes closed and his right thumb hanging loosely in his mouth.

"I think that's my cue to lay him down for the night."

Cora chuckled before leaning in to hug and kiss her daughter and grandson, "And my cue to depart. Goodnight, Regina. I love you."

"I love you, too mother. Lock the door on your way out?" she asked.

"Of course, dear."

Regina heard the door closing as she carried her son up the stairs to his room. She smiled, thinking back through the day's events. How she went from terrified, to happy, to overworked, and back to happy. She blushed when she thought back to her last moments with Emma. _She isn't going to have to try very hard if she wants to woo me._

The brunette laid her son down in bed gently, as to not wake him, but as she did so, he opened his eyes and met hers. "Momma?"

"Yes, baby?"

"Can I sleep in your bed tonight?" He asked quietly, as though scared she'd say no.

"Any time you want, little prince," She picked him up again and rearranged the blankets on his bed, remaking it so they wouldn't have to tomorrow. "Is there any cuddle buddies you want to grab before we lie down?"

"Just you, Momma."

Regina found herself smiling again. Even if her son sometimes reacted less than ideally to still being called her baby, moments like these proved he still deserved the title, and there was no way he was going to lose it any time soon.

Flipping off the light switch and closing the door behind them, Regina carried her son to her bedroom and tucked him in underneath the covers. "I'll be back in a minute sweetheart. Momma has to change into her jammies."

"Okay, Momma."

Regina turned around and stepped into her walk-in closet, turning on the lights and closing the door behind her. She stripped her work clothes from her body slowly as she wandered about, looking for a pair of pajamas to wear. She remembered a time when she slept in no clothes, but that quickly ended as soon as Henry came about. Too many times she woke to find the boy lying- thankfully- on top of the covers, fully asleep while she tried to figure out a way to get up and sneak to the closet without waking the boy. She always succeeded, but it always sent her into a panic.

Expecting her son to be asleep by the deep and even breaths he seemed to be taking, Regina was more than surprised when he turned around and met her eyes. His giant brown eyes were hers, but everything else reminded her of Daniel. She missed him. She sometimes wished he was still next to her at night, and though every day got slightly easier, she knew her heart could never replace him.

The little boy watched his mother looking over his face, inspecting every inch like she did when he ate something messy. Except this time, she wasn't licking her finger and smudging it across his cheek. She was just staring. Though Henry wasn't quite sure what was going on, he knew his momma looked sad, so he cuddled up next to her and laid a hand across her chest, wrapping his fingers loosely in his mother's hair and lying his head right in front of hers.

"Night Momma." He whispered. "Love you."

The older brunette fought off tears as she stared into her son's giant eyes, "I love you, too, baby."

* * *

Emma rushed through the doors a giant smile on her face. "RUBY! RUBE! RUBAAAAAYYYY!" she shouted at the top of her lungs, running through their shared house, trying to find her roommate. Hearing loud music start from the one of the upstairs bedrooms, Emma want skipping up the stairs, ready to tell her friend about her new relationship. "RUBBBBBBBBEEESSS!" She shouted as she opened the door and…

"Shit!" She slammed the door closed again and ran down the stairs, hearing Ruby's music cut out and a door slam a few minutes later.

"Really, Ems?" the brunette asked with a smirk, eyebrows so high they almost became hidden in her hairline. "You've forgotten what it means when I have the door closed and refuse to answer your dreadful hollers?"

"Sorry." the blonde refused to meet her friends eyes, thoroughly embarrassed by having seen her best friend naked.

"C'mon, Ems. Don't be shy. It's not like you haven't seen it before," Ruby joked.

"Oh I've seen it," Emma replied. "It's hard not to when you're always walking around the house naked. I've just never seen it in action before."

"Not true. Do you remember when you caught me with Billy a few years ago?" Ruby asked trying to make her friend feel less awkward.

"You were under the blankets. I didn't have to see naked butt that time," Emma whined.

"You didn't _have _to see it this time, either, love. You should've known better."

Emma shook her head and dropped down onto their couch, "I really had thought you'd just been sleeping or that you couldn't hear me over the music. Honestly, Rubes, it's been awhile since you've had anyone here. You usually don't bring one nighters home."

"You're right, Ems. I don't," her roommate agreed, "However, Mary Margaret is more than a one nighter, I think."

"Who the hell is Mary Margaret, and why haven't I heard of her before now?!" Emma questioned, hurt.

Suddenly a petite brunette stuck her head out from behind Ruby. Her pixie cut framed her face beautifully, and Emma could see why Ruby was attracted to her.

"That would be me." The woman offered Emma a hand, but Emma denied it, deciding instead to make the girl sweat it out.

"I'm sorry, but I don't want to shake the hand that may or may not have been near questionable spots on a girl that is basically my sister."

Ruby sent the blonde a glare overtop of Mary Margaret's head, promising to kill Emma if she chased this girl away.

"I understand," the girl looked down obviously hurt.

"Hey, I'm joking," Emma amended, reaching out a hand and properly introducing herself to the brunette. "I'm Emma, I'm basically Ruby's sister, and I know that she and you are two adults who can choose to pass the time in whatever ways they want."

"I'm very sorry the first impression you have of me is this," the brunette still hadn't met her eyes, obviously uncomfortable with the situation.

"It's fine. Rubes said she really likes you, and that's all the first impression I need," Emma smiled as the brunette finally looked up, relief etching itself into all of her features. "Now, Rubes, you need to hear this!" Emma practically shrieked.

* * *

"Shit." Ruby breathed after Emma told her all about how the day went. "That's great, Em. I'm really happy for you."

"Pardon me for interrupting, but you're going through an awful big amount of trouble for some girl Ruby said you just met. Why?" Mary Margaret asked.

"Great question, M&M- May I call you that?" Emma asked before continuing.

"As long as you don't refer to me as 'the naked girl I found in bed with my sister' I'm okay with anything," the petite brunette laughed, causing the other brunette, who had her arms wrapped around Mary Margaret to join in.

"Duly noted!" Emma nodded her affirmative, then continued on. "So here's the thing M&M: I have no idea how to answer your question because I have no idea why. I made a complete fool out of myself in front of her the first day. I should've just run away and hidden under a rock, right? Right! But I never do anything the easy way, so instead, I talked with her. She showed me a side of her that not many people get to see, judging by her reputation. She was so open, and so beautiful, and so funny, and so…. seductive? It was just instant."

M&M smiled, "Love at first sight?"

"No." Emma answered. "Nope. I don't believe in that. Plus, it was thorough embarrassment at first sight, and love seconds later…. I mean- Not love. I can't say love when it's been less than a week." Emma stammered, hoping Ruby wouldn't read into what she had just said. And just like many times before, her hopes were denied.

"Be real, Ems," Ruby said. "It's love. You know it, and by the sounds of it, she knows it, too, but is too afraid to admit it, much like yourself."

"Of course she's afraid. It's been less than a week," Emma responded.

Ruby shook her head and gave Emma a sad smile, "did you ever think that maybe it's something else?"

"What?"

"You said she had a kid, right?" when Emma only nodded, still clearly confused, Ruby went on. "Did she say what happened with the father? Do you really know anything about her past work and her son?"

Then it hit her. Regina had said, "I don't want him to have to lose someone _again._" And holy hell, how had she ever missed that?!

"Shit, Rubes, you're right. I never even thought of that."

"Now you have." M&M offered with a smile. "And now you can improve your chances with the woman."

"Ruby, you better keep her," Emma pointed at the newest addition to their group and smiled as she stood up and left the room.

"Plan on it," Ruby responded as Emma laced up her shoe laces. "Where are you going, Em?"

"I have to go make a few calls and orders and such."

"And you need your shoes for that, why?" Ruby questioned.

"I don't." Emma suddenly realized, not knowing why she had put them on.

Ruby moved Mary Margaret off her lap and walked over to hug Emma, chuckling the whole time. "You're such a weirdo. Love you sis."

Emma smiled, "Ditto."

The brunette walked to the stairs and turned around motioning to the woman standing in the middle of the room, "I'm going to sleep, Mare. C'mon."

* * *

The next day Regina awoke to the same two eyes staring at her.

"Good morning," she whispered with a smile on her face.

"Mornin Momma," he tried to whisper back, but it came out louder than expected.

"What do you want for breakfast today, Henry?"

"Momma! You know what we eat on Sudays!" he shouted, his pronunciation wrong, as expected of a five year old, and eyebrows raised as he looked in her eyes. He was right. They had a routine. Every Saturday was chocolate chip pancakes and fresh fruit. That didn't mean Regina couldn't play with him a little.

"Oh no, Henry. I forgot. Do you want waffles?" She asked, eyes wide in faux confusion.

"Not waffos!" Henry hollered.

"Oh, I know! You want…" she pretended to think for a moment, "French toast?"

"Yuck!"

"How about….. a visit from the tickle monster!" the elder brunette shouted the last part as she pounced, her hands ready to attack. She watched the little boy squirm and smile and giggle, and couldn't help but laugh herself.

"NO MOMMA!" the boy shouted even louder! "Pancakes!"

Regina didn't stop her assault, though. She tickled more and more until the boy yelled again.

"Pancakes!"

Regina slowly stopped her hands, looking at her son quizzically, "Did you say something, dear?"

"Pancakes and froot, Momma!" He while trying to catch his breath. "It's Suday."

"Ohhh," the brunette nodded and pretended to look like she just solved a thousand piece puzzle. "I guess I can do that."

Regina lifted her little boy out of bed and placed him on the ground, holding his hands as they walked down the stairs and to the kitchen together. Once he was seated safely at the table, she started making the pancakes. Before she finished, however, the bell rang.

"Who do you think it is, Hen?" she asked, putting him on her hip and walking to the door.

"Gramma?!"

"No, sweetheart. Gramma had other stuff today, so it's not her," she informed the boy.

Opening the door, she found it was the local delivery man.

"Miss Mills?" he asked, hoping he was at the right address.

"Yes?" Regina questioned back.

"We have a pretty big delivery for you courtesy of an anonymous shipper. Will you sign here?"

"Of course," Regina grabbed for the pen and electronic pad. "Do you happen to know what the box contains?"

"It isn't one box, Miss. It's not 'one' anything. In fact, the order is so big I needed to bring a couple of other guys with me this morning."

Another man walked up just that moment carrying a vase full of flowers, followed by another man, and a third. "Where do you want 'em Miss?"

"The kitchen table is fine," Regina motioned to the room behind her.

"I hate to say this, Miss Mills, but it's going to take more than just a table," all the men laughed at their joke, knowing just how many vases this woman had coming.

Twenty minutes later, the men were getting back into their delivery truck and pulling away into the street while Regina was left dumbstruck at the sight of 100 vases of flowers in front of her.

"Emma," she mumbled, shaking her head and feebly attempting to cover the smile and blush that was bound to spread across her face if it hadn't already.

"Momma," Henry whispered, amazed. "There's so many."

"I know, sweetheart."

"And they're pretty, like you."

The tears welled up in her eyes as she looked down at her son, "Baby? What do you say about meeting Momma's new friend tonight?"

"Is he nice?" the boy asked.

"_She _is very nice, Sweetie." Regina corrected his use of pronouns so that she didn't confuse the little boy.

"Will she play dinos with me?" he asked seriously.

"If you ask nicely, I'm sure she would."

"Then what are you waitin fo' Momma?" He giggled with his mother when she finally understood his question.

"I have no idea, Baby. No idea."


	8. Mashed Potatoes and Parmesan

**_A/N: _****_Alright, lovelies, I am so sorry I made you all wait for so long. BUT! I just want to say I loved my trip to Boston. It's a gorgeous city. Also, I made this one longer for you guys and I added super fluff (Should that be SQ's supername? I think so.). Anyways, you know the drill. Read, like (hopefully), leave a review with your thoughts/ comments, and if you think of anything in particular you'd like to see go down in this story (Besides Emma on Regina AND vice versa) PM me about it. _**

**_Love you!_**

**_~R_**

* * *

_The tears welled up in her eyes as she looked down at her son, "Baby? What do you say about meeting Momma's new friend tonight?"_

"_Is he nice?" the boy asked._

"_She is very nice, Sweetie." Regina corrected his use of pronouns so that she didn't confuse the little boy._

"_Will she play dinos with me?" he asked seriously._

"_If you ask nicely, I'm sure she would."_

"_Then what are you waitin fo' Momma?" He giggled with his mother when she finally understood his question._

"_I have no idea, Baby. No idea."_

* * *

Regina looked at her son. _Am I doing this too quickly? Will he hate me if things happen between Emma and I? _She sighed. Right now was _not _the time for negative thinking.

Instead, she picked up her cell phone, calling the blonde in question.

After a few rings, a breathless voice came through the speaker, "Good morning, beautiful."

The brunette flushed a bright red color, which had Henry looking up at her curiously. "Good morning, Emma." She listened as the blonde tried to catch her breath on the other end of the line, her own curiosity growing, "Emma, dear, are you alright?"

"Yeah." A gasp of air. "Why?"

"You just seem to be breathing pretty heavily, that's all," the brunette answered.

"Oh. _That._" Emma said, realizing what her professor was hinting at, "Well, I am-" Breath. "Out running. About to-" Another. "Beat my personal best."

That brought a chuckle out of Regina. "And why did you pick up the phone, then?" she asked through her giggles.

"Because there was a beautiful woman calling me and it wouldn't help in my 'wooing' process if I ignored her call," Emma reasoned, her breath starting to come in regular intervals as she ran back up the stairs to her house and sat down on Ruby's favorite porch swing.

Regina suddenly felt shy as she whispered, "Thank you for the flowers, Emma. They're beautiful."

"They're nothing compared to you," Emma replied.

"Speaking of your so called 'wooing process,'" Regina segued, clearing her throat, "I was wondering if you still wanted to do dinner tonight?"

Emma sighed, "I'd love to, Regina, but I told M&M and Ruby that I wouldn't need the house reserved tonight and that they could hang out if they wanted. I'm really sorry, but they're in a new relationship, and I don't want to impede on their coupley time and I just-"

"Emma, dear, you're rambling," the brunette paused and listened to the blonde mumble an apology. "And if you would have let me finish, I was going to ask you to have dinner at my house. I'm no culinary major, but I do have a few tricks of my own up my sleeve."

"That's good to hear," Emma flirted before turning her tone serious. "However, I will only agree if you let me cook dinner."

"Henry and I have lived years of my cooking, and I promise you Miss Swan, my recipes are delicious, degree or not." Regina argued.

"And I believe you, Professor, but I am the one who should be wooing you. Not the other way around. Got it?"

A silence stretched between them, causing Emma to wonder if she had pushed too far and upset Regina. Before she could worry too much, though, she heard a loud sigh and pictured the professor shaking her head in defeat.

"Fine. You may cook, Emma," she relented. "That also means that _you _provide the ingredients. Understood?"

"Loud and clear, _Professor_." Regina could almost feel the smirk the blonde was wearing, knowing how the title made the brunette feel.

Clearing her throat and -hopefully- her mind, Regina spoke again, "108 Mifflin Street, dear. I expect you here at whatever time that is needed for supper to be done by 8:00. Goodbye, Emma."

Emma chuckled, "I'll see you at 6:30, Reggie. This is Emma signing off!"

As the click of the phone sounded, Regina laughed. _I'm dating a woman with the mental capacity of my son. I swear. _

Henry looked up at his mother, "Who's Emma, Momma?"

"Emma is Momma's friend. You know, the one you wanted to meet?"

"Is she comin to play dinos now, Momma?" the young boy asked, bursting with joy.

He looked so happy, Regina had a hard time telling him the truth. "No, sweetheart. She's not coming now." She watched his smile fade. "She's coming tonight for dinner, though, and then I'm sure she wouldn't mind playing dinos."

"Yay!" Short brunette hair flopped as the boy jumped up and down excitedly. "Is it dinner yet?"

Regina smiled at the boy, who was clearly Daniel's son, "Baby, we just had breakfast. And what comes after breakfast on Saturdays?"

"'TOONS!"

"That's right, Henry. Go grab your blankey and get settled on the couch, okay? I'll be in to turn on the television in a minute," Regina promised as the boy skipped off towards the family room.

The older brunette grabbed her phone and smiled as she read a new text from Emma:

_Any requests from you or Henry for supper?_

_~E_

Regina peeked into the family room, seeing Henry waiting patiently at the couch. "Henry, my love?" she called, and watched him whip his head around, telling the woman she had his full attention. "What would you like for dinner?"

"'Tatoes!" the boy called back, smiling.

_It appears my son would like potatoes. I am requesting something relatively healthy to accompany those._

_~R._

Regina turned to the two plates. silverware, and skillet in the sink. Figuring she should wash them before the syrup dried, she turned on the faucet and filled the sink with warm water. Within minutes, Henry was by her side, holding a small towel so he could help dry.

Regina's phone started buzzing, but before she could reach for it, the boy picked it up. "I got it Momma. Your hands are all bubbly."

Figuring it was just her mother, Regina agreed to let him answer it. "Okay, Henry, but just this once and push this button to put it on speaker first."

"Hello again, beautiful," came the smooth voice of Emma Swan. Regina's eyes felt like they were about bulge out of her head.

"Atually," Henry stumbled over his first word, but continued, "Momma says I'm hansome. Not beautiful."

"I… uh… I'm… a… Who is this?"

The older brunette held in a laugh at the surprising turn of events that had the other woman flustered and sputtering for words.

"Henry Mills." Henry replied.

"Hey Henry… uh.. I'm Emma."

"Momma says you're gonna come and eat and play dinos tonight," Henry said excitedly. "I wanna play dinos really bad."

"Well, we'll just have to do that, won't we?" The blonde agreed with the little boy, "I really want to play dinos, too. It's been awhile, and Tony, my t-rex is kinda getting up there in age."

"My t-rex name is Danny," Henry said matter-of-factly. "It's like Daniel."

In that moment, Regina felt her heart constrict, wondering how Emma would respond. Normally kids would go for names that rhymed, or that started with the same letter, but Henry had named his Danny, as in Daniel, as in his deceased father. If Emma responded in the wrong way, Regina feared she would hurt the boy's feelings.

"Interesting name, Henry. I like it," Emma said, honestly, the reply instantly calming Regina. "Hey, Henry, is your mom around?" the blonde questioned.

"I'm right here, dear. Just finishing up the washing the skillet," she placed said skillet off to the side, on top of the drying rack, and dried her hands off so she could hold the telephone. "Say goodbye, baby," she quietly instructed Henry, who listened to her and followed her instructions right away.

Within a matter of seconds, Regina had her phone off of speaker and held to her ear. "I apologize, Emma. I thought I was my mother calling, so I let Henry answer."

"That's cool, Reggie. The kid sounds neat, and I wasn't even joking about playing dinos. I'd bring Tony, but he needs some patching up and repair before he's let out to play with the younger dinosaurs."

"Tony is real?" Regina inquired, earning a scoff from the other woman.

"Of course he is! You think I'd lie to your son?!"

"Of course not, dear. I'm just shocked."

"Well, let's move on to what I originally called for, yes?" Emma cut the topic short, figuring the brunette would start laughing at her for owning a young boy's toy. _But what a beautiful laugh it would be._

"Yes, dear," Regina agreed. When the blonde failed to continue, she asked, "And what would that be?"

"Oh! Right!" the blonde smiled at her own distractions. "So I was just making sure of the text I got a few minutes ago. The boy wants potatoes, and you want to punish him?" She joked.

"Miss Swan, I don't recall saying anything about punishments," the other woman replied, appalled at the suggestion.

"Oh. I'm sorry," Emma laughed, clearly not sorry. "I thought you might have been punishing him when you suggested healthy food. Y'know. Maybe he broke your favorite vase or something, so you're punishing him with broccoli."

Regina rolled her eyes, trying not to laugh and possibly encourage the blonde on the other end of the line. "For your information, _dear_, Henry seems to enjoy broccoli. It's a favorite of his, actually."

"You know," Emma started, "I may just have to forego our dinner plans tonight."

The brunette felt her heart dropping at those words, even though she heard the apparent smile behind them. _Leaving before she even gets here, huh?_

She cleared her throat, trying to hide the shakiness in her voice, "Leaving before you even get here, huh?"

Emma could sense something was off. Worried that she just upset the woman, she tried to finish her joke and offer a bit of comic relief, "Yeah. Don't want you to brainwash me into thinking I like broccoli, like you've done the kid."

The small laugh that came through the speaker had Emma thanking whatever God there may be for not screwing it up with this incredible woman.

"So broccoli is a yes for later?" the blonde questioned quietly.

"It would be great. I'll set the steamer out for you."

"In that case," the blonde said, "I'll have to let you go so I can start planning the rest of the meal."

"Goodbye, Emma."

"Bye," the blonde responded, but instantly decided she didn't want to hang up if she wasn't sure Regina was alright. "Wait! Reggie!" she called into the speaker.

"Yes, dear?" came the tired voice.

"Are you smiling?" the blonde asked.

Regina shook her head in confusion at the random question, but started to smirk, knowing it was just like Emma to be random. "I am now. Why?"

"You would tell me if anything was wrong, right?" She continued to question.

_She heard it. My voice gave away my insecurities, and she picked them up so easily._

"Nothing is wrong, dear," Regina reassured.

"And you're still smiling?"

"Yes, Emma," Another laugh came through. "I am still smiling only seconds after you asked me the first time."

Emma smiled herself, "Hey can you do me a favor?"

"What does it require?" The brunette asked curiously.

"Never stop smiling. It seems like an impossible feat, but it makes you even more beautiful when you do," Emma threw her thoughts out easier than ever before.

"Goodbye, Emma," again, the brunette held back a laugh, trying not to blush like a schoolgirl who just had her first kiss.

"Goodbye, gorgeous."

After she heard a _click_ and the dial tone, Regina still stood with the phone to her ear, a girly smile plastered on her face.

She wasn't sure how long she stood there, but suddenly she felt little hands pulling on her pajama pants, and looked down to meet small, brown eyes.

"Momma! Toons!" The boy demanded.

"Yes, sweetheart. Let's go watch cartoons." She grabbed the child's hand and swung him up into her arms, carrying him to the couch and setting him down on top of his blanket. Sitting down at the other end of the couch and grabbing the remote, Regina waited for the boy to climb over the beige cushions and some snuggle with her. Within moments, he was there with his blanket and his stuffed t-rex, Danny, all snuggling into Momma's side as she flipped the television to "_What's New Scooby Doo?_"

Watching cartoons every Saturday was something Regina used to resent. Every Saturday, she would wake up to find her two favorite men sprawled out on the couch, watching Scooby Doo or whatever other cartoon happened to be on that day. One day, the brunette woman finally approached her husband about it.

"_Honestly, Daniel. Cartoons, again?" She asked._

"_Sweetheart, it's a good way to spend time with Henry. He just crawls into my lap and he seems pretty excited about Scooby, which is great y'know, cause that's my favorite, too."_

"_He's two Daniel. He's excited about everything," she argued. _

"_C'mon, Regina, it's just a little TV."_

"_Just a little TV when we could actually be out spending our time with our son."_

_Daniel wrapped his arms around his upset wife and pulled her close to him, "We're still spending time together. In fact, I think him sitting in our laps or snuggling up to us is better than tossing a ball around or running around in a park. It's relaxed and it's enjoyable, and even if it's lazy, it's still family time."_

_Regina sighed, "I just don't want Henry to grow up and be addicted to television."_

"_How about you join us the next couple of weeks," Daniel offered. "Then, if you still don't feel like it's quality family time in a month or so, we'll take Henry out every weekend to whatever park you choose. Will that work?"_

"_Fine." _

But the brunette mother only got to spend one Saturday cuddling on the couch with her two favorite men because the next week she was planning a funeral. Even after only one Saturday, though. Regina knew cartoon day was going to become a tradition in the Mills' mansion, and she and her baby boy had never missed a Saturday since.

* * *

Emma came rushing into the kitchen, pulling out all the ingredients she could find and her favorite recipe book. She was flipping through the pages over and over again when she heard the front door open and close.

"Anybody home?" came the call of her best friend from the front door. "I bought groceries."

The brunette strolled into the room and Emma basically tackled her roommate.

"Oh thank God, Rubes!" she shouted in relief. "Please tell me you have chicken breasts in there."

"Yeah. They're in the bag with the olive oil," Ruby told her, eyeing her cautiously. She took in her friends sweaty and shaken state, wondering what the hell was going on. "Why do you need chicken breasts so badly, Em?"

"Long story."

"I have time. Spill." Ruby was not letting the blonde off easily.

"Do you remember how I asked Regina if she wanted to come over for dinner?" the blonde questioned, as she dug through cabinet after cabinet, pulling out ingredients and setting them on the table as quickly as she could.

"Yeah, but I thought she said no," Ruby stated, confused.

"She did," Emma nodded her head, her back still turned to the brunette in the room, "and then I told you and Mary that you could hang out here if you wanted and all, and so now you're planning on doing that, right?"

"Yup," Ruby grinned, "But we'll be _hanging out_ up in my room, if you're catching my drift." The statement was sealed with a wink, which was typical of Ruby.

"First of all, you're such a dog," both women laughed at the true statement. "Secondly, she changed her mind."

"Who changed their mind? Mary Margaret or Regina?"

"Regina changed her mind and now I'm going to her house and feeding her and the kid, and he wants potatoes and she wants healthy, so I was thinking chicken parm with potatoes and steamed broccoli. And I have nothing to wear. And I need to cook at her house. And there's no way I'm going to-"

Ruby placed a hand on either side of her best friends shoulders, "You _need _to slow down and relax here, Em." She offered the advice sternly, leaving no room for arguments.

"I know, I just-"

"No, Emma. You need to calm down because Mary Margaret and I are going to help you with this crazy plan you have, okay?"

"Okay."

* * *

"But Momma, I don't wanna get dwessed!" the little boy whined. "Why can't I stay in my jammies all day?"

"Henry, dear, we talked about this, remember?" Regina questioned her son as she struggled to pull a green and white striped polo over the head of her squirming son. "Momma's friend is going to be here soon, and she wants to see you all handsome."

"But Momma!" he whined again. "You said she was nice."

"She is nice, sweetheart," the older brunette reassured.

"And you says that nice people will like me no matta what, right, Momma?" he questioned.

"That's a very good point, my love," Regina answered, noticing- not for the first time- that her son was wise beyond his years. "It's true, too, but you wore those clothes all last night, and you don't want them to smell funky. Emma might think you have cooties."

"I don't have no cooties, Momma," Henry argued, his face pulled into an expression that showed just how appauling his mother's statement was.

"I know that, sweetheart, but Emma doesn't, and she said green was her favorite color!" Regina finished excitedly, hoping the last part- whether true or untrue- would convince her son to change his clothing.

"Gween's my favorite, too!" He shouted pulling his own shirt the rest of the way down, and running to the mirror to fix it himself. "So Emma likes my slippers, too?!" He half questioned, half shouted, running out the door and down the hall to gather his dinosaur slippers that would never match the nice outfit he had on.

"Henry," Regina called, "Don't run sweetheart, you don't want to fall."

"But I gotsta get my slippers, Momma!" the boy ran back with the giant green slippers tight in his grasp. "Will you put 'em on me, Momma?"

"Yes, sweetheart," she bent down and kissed his forehead as he handed her the slippers. Chuckling, she slipped one on his right foot, "You know these don't match your outfit, right, my dear boy?"

"Yes huh! Gween," Henry pointed at his shirt, "and gween," he pointed at the slippers.

Regina laughed loudly as she slipped the other dinosaur on his left foot. Her smile continued to widen as her son laughed along with her, and before she knew it, the two of them were lying on the floor in a heap, laughing and smiling at the ceiling.

Regina looked at her son as her laughs dialled down, "I love you, baby boy."

"Love you, too, Momma," he replied, leaning over and giving his mother a kiss on the forehead.

_RIIIIING!_

The brunette boy's chocolate eyes popped wide as he slapped a hand on either side of his mother's face and whispered (very loudly), "She's here, Momma."

Regina looked just as stunned as her son, "I know, baby."

"What do we do?" he asked, eyes frozen in the same position as before.

Regina would've laughed, had she not been paralyzed with fear. Henry posed a great question, what should they do now? There was no backing out, that was for sure, but the brunette found herself slightly overwhelmed with panic, and wasn't sure if she could answer the door or-

_RIIING! RIIIING!_

The brunette sat up, helping Henry up along with her. After brushing the invisible dirt off of the back of her skinny jeans and blouse, she picked up the boy and headed to the front door. Every step took her closer, and every step she wanted to back out, but it was too late for that.

She reached the front door and twisted the handle, pulling it open.

"Wow," Emma gasped. Seeing Regina in comfortable, non-teacher clothes was a sight she'd never tire of.

"Wow yourself," the professor was delightfully surprised to find Emma in a pair of tight, painted-on skinnies and a long-sleeved blue and black striped shirt. She even had her hair curled neatly and someone had given her the smokey-eye effect.

"So...Um…." Emma fumbled with her words, hoping the brunette would understand and take over this part of the conversation. Thankfully, she did.

"Emma, this is my son Henry, and Henry," she looked over at the boy in her arms, "this is Momma's friend, Emma."

Emma reached out a hand to shake the boy's, "Hi, Henry." She smiled and hoped it looked more relaxed than the exploding volcano she could feel inside of her.

When the boy didn't say anything back, Regina bounced him a little and whispered in his ear, "Where are your manners tonight, baby?"

Looking at the blonde stranger, the boy mumbled, "Hi, I'm Henry," before he blushed and buried his face in his mother's hair. "You didn't say she was pretty, Momma," he whispered so only he and the brunette woman could hear.

Emma was a ball of nerves. The kid was obviously not taking a liking to her. He was hiding and not speaking, and Emma started to wonder if this was it. She knew if Henry didn't like her, Regina would break it off. The worst part about it? Emma wouldn't blame her one bit. The blonde would understand the reasoning behind the break-up, and would not blame Regina one bit for taking care of her son before herself. In fact, Emma would admire her professor for making that choice.

Looking up when she heard small mumbles, Emma caught a smile as it broke across Regina's face at her son''s comment. Of course the boy would think Emma was pretty. Who wouldn't? She was gorgeous.

"And for that I apologize, baby boy," Regina responded, catching Emma's eyes and holding her gaze for a second, while she tried to hold in the small giggles that threatened to rupture at her son's confession. "If it makes you feel better, Henry, I think she's pretty, too," the brunette stage-whispered, making sure the blonde heard her, while tricking the young brunette in her arms into thinking he was the only one.

A smile broke out on the blonde's face, and, trying to hide it from the little boy, she turned towards the front door, "I'm just going to grab the ingredients from the bug super quick. I'll be back in a minute."

"Emma?" A voice stopped her.

"Yeah?" blonde hair flipped through the air as she turned around to face the speaker.

"The kitchen is down the hall and through the dining room if you get back before I get Henry settled in. I'll come join you as soon as he's done?" the statement was more of a question, as if the brunette was unsure of where Emma wanted her to be. To be honest, Emma wanted her by her side every minute, but she wasn't about to say that.

"Sounds great, Reggie," the blonde winked and skipped back out the door, as the boy hidden in Regina's hair pulled away and looked in his mother's eyes.

"I like her, Momma. She's nice."

"I like her too, sweetheart," the woman agreed. "Now let's go get some of your dinosaurs out so you can play while Momma and Emma make dinner together, alright?"

"DINOS?!" the boy questioned enthusiastically. "Will Emma play, too?"

"Maybe after dinner, my love," she offered, hoping that would appease the child.

"Okay," and with that, Regina set Henry down and walked behind him as he scampered away to his toys.

* * *

Outside, Emma was rummaging through her back seat while talking into her cellphone.

"Hey, Rubes!" Emma greeted enthusiastically.

"Emma?" the other woman questioned. "I thought you were on a date."

"Well, I am," the blonde explained. "It's just-"

"Hold on a second, Ems, Mary wants me to put you on speaker."

Emma listened to the beep of buttons through the cell phone speakers for a minute, before another voice joined the conversation, "Emma? What's wrong?"

"Nothing's wrong M&M," she reassured, a smile breaking across her features. Being a kid in the system, it was rare that anyone really took care of and looked after Emma past the bare minimum. Now she had her long-time best friend, a new best friend, and a gorgeous girlfriend with an adorable son. It was really shocking how life could change.

"Well why are you calling, then, when you should be fawning all over the woman of your dreams?"

"I can't fawn over her in front of her son, for one," Emma explained. "And for two, I can't seem to find the parmesan. What bag did you put it in, Rubes?"

A loud explosion of the small brunette's laughter and a muttered "Shiiiiiiit" from Ruby signified approximately where Emma would find the parmesan.

"Ems…" Emma's long-time friend drug out the girl's name, hoping she wouldn't get too upset with her.

"Ruby Lucas, please say you're about to tell me it's in my car, but it rolled under the seat and that's why I can't find it," Emma almost begged for that to be the answer to her problems.

"I _would_ tell you that, but.."

"Seriously, Rubes?! I tell you I'm making her chicken parm and you conveniently forget the PARMESAN? It's in the title!" Emma tried not to yell, noting that she was in the classy, high-end part of town. Regina's mansion was enough to clue her in on that.

"Well, I had it packed up for you, then I got hungry and made pizza, and…. I… y'know," Ruby explained guiltily as Mary Margaret laughed even louder in the background. "Shut it, Mare," Ruby grumbled, "This is so not funny."

"You're right, it's not." Emma agreed.

"Look, Ems. I'm really sorry, I am."

"I know, I know," Emma paused, trying to think of what she would do now that she didn't have the cheese. "I guess I'll ask Reggie if she has any."

"_Reggie?" _the brunette on the other end of the line joined her girlfriend in a fit of giggles.

"Not now, Ruby. I'm still kind of pissed at you," the blonde warned.

"I know, and I'm sorry. If I could fix it I would." For a minute silence fell between them. Then, with trepidation Ruby asked, "Emma?"

"Yeah, Rubes?"

"I love you, sis. Now go woo your woman."

"I love you, too, Rubes." Emma pushed out through her annoyance, "Bye."

The blonde hung up the phone and turned back around towards the house, finding a stunning brunette leaning against the frame of the open doorway.

"I was beginning to think you'd changed your mind, dear."

"And miss spending time with you?" Emma questioned, bounding up to the woman and wrapping an arm around her waist, pulling the brunette's body toward her own. "I would never." She leaned around the brunette and peered into the house.

"What seems to have caught your eye, Miss Swan?" Regina asked, pulling out of Emma's grasp and looking at her curiously.

"Besides you?" Regina blushed at the comment and tried to hide her elated smile. "Absolutely nothing," Emma continued. "I was just wondering where the kid was."

"_The kid_ is in his playroom, playing with his dinosaur collection; which, by the way, he wants to know if you'll play dinos with him after dinner."

Emma absentmindedly wondered if she'd ever stop smiling when around this perfect family, "Of course I would! But…" Emma smirked at the woman she wrapped tighter into her arms, "As long as he's preoccupied I think I can do this."

Emma dipped her head down and caught Regina's lips, wrapping her fingers around the brunette's torso. The brunette wove her fingers into the blonde hair and pressed her lips even closer.

"I've _really_ wanted to do that since you opened that door," Emma whispered in her professor's ear.

Regina laughed loudly, her head falling back, "Well it's about time, Emma. I was worried you never would."


	9. Questions, Answers, Promises

**_A/N: _****_So it's technically Monday where I live, but I ask that you don't hold that against me... or do. Either way, I posted this when I posted this. :) _**

**_Leave a review/Pm me/ _****_love me forever_**

**_Warning: FLUFF FOR DAYZ._**

**_Love always,_**

**_~R._**

_Emma dipped her head down and caught Regina's lips, wrapping her fingers around the brunette's torso. The brunette wove her fingers into the blonde hair and pressed her lips even closer._

"_I've _really _wanted to do that since you opened that door," Emma whispered in her professor's ear. _

_Regina laughed loudly, her head falling back, "Well it's about time, Emma. I was worried you never would."_

* * *

Emma leaned over, placing the chicken breasts into the oven and checking- again- to make sure it was set at the right temperature. She turned to face the woman who was sitting on a stool at the island in the center of the kitchen.

"Thanks again for letting me borrow some parmesan, Reggie. It's kind of hard to make chicken parm without it," Emma smiled shyly, still embarrassed that she had to ask for the cheese.

"You're seriously sticking with _Reggie_?" Regina scrunched her nose in adorable distaste.

Emma walked around the island and up to the woman in question. "Of course, Reggie. What else would I call you?"

"Well, let's see," the brunette pretended to think. She suddenly gasped and threw her hand up in the air, pointer finger sticking out. "I have an idea!" she exclaimed, her sarcasm clearly oozing from the tone in her voice. "You can call me…. wait for it… _Regina._ Because that is my name."

"Why would I do that when I can properly emasculate you from your cold-hearted persona- that we both know is just a facade- and give a name that shows just how sweet and cute and adorable you can be?"

"I'll show you sweet and adorable when I refuse to give you a goodnight kiss tonight." The brunette stared into hazel eyes, challenging Emma to argue with her.

Instead, she got a small giggle and a joking response, "Is that a threat, Miss Mills?"

Narrowing her eyes and scrunching together her perfectly maintained brows, the woman answered, "It's a promise."

"Fine then," the blonde relented. "Can I at least call you 'Gina?"

"No."

"Reggie it is, then," laughter exploded from the blonde as the brunette reached out and playfully slapped at her.

"No more kisses for you."

"Oh, really?" Emma questioned, smirking. "We'll see about that."

A singular eyebrow raised up to Regina's hairline, "And what exactly does that mean, Miss Swan?"

"Well, I don't know if you noticed, Regina, but I'm kind of irresistible." The blonde pulled her shirt up a few inches and showed off her sculpted six-pack, "I mean, ladies can't seem to stay away from this bod."

Now it was Regina's turn to laugh, though it was strangled by her awe of Emma's body. Sure, she could see the woman was fit, and after this morning's phone call, she knew Emma was a runner. She didn't know, however, how attractive and well-defined Emma's muscular body was. It conjured a multitude of images to Regina's head that had her heart beating faster than it should.

Emma noticed the change in pace and rested a hand on her professor's shoulder, "Are you doing alright, Regina?"

Shaking the seductive images from her mind and shifting her posture, Regina responded, "Never better, dear. Now where were we?"

"Actually," Emma started, "I was about to take supper out of the oven if you wanted to go get Henry."

Regina stood and turned her back to the blonde, walking through the open doorway and down the hall. Emma watched her go, wondering what had been going on in the brunette's beautiful mind just minutes ago. Deciding it would be better to take care of dinner first and try to solve puzzles later, Emma removed the chicken breasts from the oven.

"Perfect," she said, just as Regina rounded the corner again, this time with a sleepy little brunette boy in her arms.

For the first time, Emma finally got a really good look at the boy. He was small for his age, with a mop of brown hair on his head. The ends of his hair flipped out slightly, just like his mother's. He also seemed to have his mother's eyes; a light brown, mocha latte color. Looking between the two Mills in front of her, it was obvious that Henry belonged to the woman cradling him in her arms.

"It seems Henry conked out while he was playing with his dinosaurs. Isn't that right, baby?" Regina consulted the child to confirm what she already knew to be the truth.

Henry yawned, then nodded.

"And are you going to bed as soon as you've eaten dinner?" his mother questioned him.

"No. Emma and I are gonna play dinos, Momma!" the energy was suddenly back in the little boy's body.

"Did you ask Emma if she wanted to play dinos?"

The boy spun in his mother's arms until he met the eyes of the pretty blonde woman, "Will you play dinos, Emma?"

Seeing the hope and excitement light up the boy's face, Emma couldn't help but tell him yes, even if she was pretty sure he'd conk out shortly after they started playing. "I'd love to, kid. Dinos are my favorite! But before we play, we have to eat everything on our plates, yeah?"

"Yeah." the boy agreed with a nod of his head.

"Do you know what it's called when you eat all the food on your plate, Henry?" Emma asked, turning her back and putting the finishing touches on the meal before turning back and dishing a small portion of potatoes on the kid's plate, and a slightly larger portion on Regina's, serving herself last.

"All done?!" Henry shouted, the lilt in his voice posing his excited sentence into a question.

"Actually," the blonde replied, placing half of a cut up chicken breast in front of the boy, "One of my moms used to tell me it was called a 'Happy Plate' because you're happy that you didn't waste a single scrap."

"What if you don't get no happy face?" the miniature brunette questioned.

"That's a story for a different time, kid." Emma smiled, trying to shrug off what would happen if you didn't get a happy plate. She definitely wasn't going to explain to a five-year-old the dark sides of foster care, especially not in front of his mother.

Regina saw the darkened look in Emma's eyes and made a mental note to question her about the "unhappy plate" later. For now, though, they'd stick to happier subjects, like how great the food was tasting.

"This is wonderful, Emma," Regina praised, moaning her approval of the dish.

Sensing no lies in the woman's words, and trying to hide the sudden blush of her skin, Emma returned a compliment, "It really would be nothing without you, Regina. Chicken Parmesan without the parmesan isn't really that great, y'know?"

"I'm sure Henry would love it either way," the older brunette stated, gesturing across the table.

Emma turned her attention away from the gorgeous grin Regina was sporting, and looked where the woman's hand was now pointing. There she found a small boy with brunette hair, mocha eyes, and sauce and cheese spread all over his smiling face.

The boy didn't seem to notice the two women staring, too content to keep eating his food, as he was really shooting for that happy plate Emma had told him about. He would've kept going and going, too, if the blonde woman hadn't broken out into a cacophony of laughter, spurring her date to do the same. The little boy looked up, confused, but joined in minutes later.

"He has no idea what he's laughing at," Emma whispered to her date between giggles.

"You're right, but at least he sees the humor," Regina agreed. Then, turning to her son, "Do you like your dinner, baby?"

"Yup!" He popped his lips at the end, sending a small splatter of sauce in the direction of his mother. "But it would be cooler as dinos."

Both women laughed at the kid's obsession, but it was only Emma who answered, "I'll keep that in mind next time, okay, bud?"

"YAY!"

* * *

The rest of dinner passed in relative silence. It wasn't a strange silence, but more of a content one. Emma stealing long glances at Regina, and Regina steal them back. Blushes passing to and fro between the two women. Occasionally, there'd be hums from Henry, or loud laughs when the boy did something incredibly cute.

As he was finishing up, Henry picked up his plate and licked it clean.

"HENRY MILLS!" his mother scolded, appalled. "I've taught you better manners than that, especially with company around. What do you say?"

"But Momma, I was making a happy plate," the boy argued.

"Happy plate or no happy plate, what do you say to Emma?" Regina questioned again.

"Thank you for supper, Emma."

"And?" His mother prodded, knowing he was leaving out the most important part after his lack of manners.

"Lo siento," the boy said, dropping his head.

As Henry's head dropped, so did Emma's mouth. The kid knew Spanish? Did that mean Regina…._Holy hell, she'll be the death of me._

The brunette woman in question reached across the table and tapped the bottom of Emma's chin, "Better close that before you catch any flies, Miss Swan."

"Wow. I just mean- wow." Emma turned to Henry, "You speak Spanish?"

"Sí," the boy smiled proudly.

Emma turned back to Regina, "So you speak Spanish as well?"

"Sí, mi bella," Regina winked and stood from the table, grabbing the dirty plates and silverware as she did so. She slowly sauntered to the kitchen door, and turned around just in time to see Emma staring at her, once again slack-jawed. "Flies, my dear. Remember the flies."  
Emma smiled and sat back into her chair, whistling in appreciation. Every second she found out more and more about this amazing woman she was now dating.

_I am the luckiest person in the universe. She is a perfect mother, she speaks foreign languages, she-_

A small voice broke off the blonde's thoughts, "Can we go play dinos now, or…."

"Yeah, kid. Let's go." Emma moved to the small boy and helped him down from his chair onto the hardwood floor. You go in the playroom and get everything out, okay? I have to do something real quick."

"Okie dokie, Emma," the kid took off down the hallway, a giant bundle of enthusiasm and energy.

Emma watched until he was safely in what she assumed to be the playroom. Then, tiptoeing to create the least amount of sound possible, the blonde snuck through the kitchen door and behind the brunette woman who had occupied her thoughts every moment of the day.

Quickly, Emma wrapped two arms around the woman, not missing the squeak of surprise that escaped her captive. Then, ever so softly, Emma ran her hands up the brunette's sides and kissed her cheek.

"You're perfect, Regina."

Then, just as quickly as she came, the blonde left, leaving not only herself, but the woman currently standing in the middle of the kitchen, hands dripping with sudsy water, with a warm, giddy feeling bubbling inside them.

_She thinks I'm perfect. She is….. amazing._

* * *

Twenty minutes later, the dishes were dried, the counter cleaned, and the stovetop scrubbed. Regina slipped herself through the door of the kitchen and walked down the hallway. Turning the corner, she noticed her son was sitting in Emma's lap and couldn't help the smile that upturned on her face.

The blonde in question turned her upper body ever-so-slighly to catch the intruder's eye. She place a finger over her lips and mouthed 'Shh.'

That's when Regina saw it. Henry was pressed back against Emma's chest, curled up into a small ball, cradling his favorite stuffed dinosaur in his hands.

"He conked out about five minutes in," Emma whispered. "I wasn't sure what you wanted me to do with him, so I let him sleep."

"I've got him from here, thank you," Regina leaned down, taking her son in her arms.

"Momma?" He questioned, stirring slightly.

"Shhh, baby boy. Momma's right here," she soothed. "I'm going to put you to bed, alright?"

"But, but… dinos with Emma," the boy mumbled, barely able to keep his eyes open.

Emma stood and walked towards mother and son. "How bout we play next time. Is that alright, kiddo?"

"But-" he protested again.

"Pinky promise," Emma offered up her smallest finger, linking it with Henry's. "Night, bud."

"Nighty night."

Emma watched as mother and son left, the former cradling the latter in her arms. It was beautiful, really, this side of Regina. It was so different from the Evil Queen persona that was thrown off at school. This side of the woman made her more real. Loving, adorable, and real.

Emma wasn't sure what time it was or how many minutes had passed when Regina descended the stairs again, but she reached out her arms and took the brunette into them, not really caring about the time at all. She pulled the woman close to her chest and slowly started moving them across the hardwood floor. Regina sighed in contentment while they swayed together, and giggled when Emma took the opportunity to spin the brunette.

Regina looked up into Emma's eyes as the blonde pulled her closer again, and found herself drowning in hazel. She leaned up on her tiptoes, catching Emma's mouth in a soft kiss, and smiling at the blonde's hum of approval.

"I think I'm going to go get us something to drink," Regina offered.

"Don't leave," Emma joked, pulling the brunette back to her. "I've finally gotten you right where I want you."

The professor turned around and swatted at the blonde's chest, "Let me go, Miss Swan, and I'll promise to come back."

"Fine, but you better come back, young lady, or I'll have to come after you."

Snickering, the brunette retreated from the room, only to return a few minutes later, two glasses of red wine and a bottle balanced in her grasp.

"Trying to weaken me up before taking advantage of me, professor?" the blonde joked, taking a sip of her wine. She barely caught the wince of said professor over the top of her glass, but paused when she did. "Shit, Regina. I didn't mean it like that."

"I know, I know." Regina sighed, "I just. I don't want you to feel like you _have_ to keep seeing me to get a good grade or something."

"What?!" Emma asked, borderline outraged at the suggestion.

"I'm not saying that is something you'd do, dear," Regina soothed the blonde's mind. "I just don't want you to feel trapped. I promise you that I would never use my professional life to get back at people for personal reasons. I'm not that kind of woman."

"I never thought you to be." Emma reached across the space between them and grasped Regina's hand, pulling it up to her lips before bringing the woman to sit next to her on the leather couch.

"That being said," Regina smirked. "I also will not mark grades you don't deserve, even if you start warming my bed at night."

"I would never expect it," Emma rethought her words. "The marks, I mean. I do hope that at some point I can warm your bed. Maybe more than that. I'd rather not be just a booty call, though I'm sure you're fantastic at booty calls. Or anything in the bedroom, for that matter and-" Emma was cut off by soft plump lips.

"You were rambling, again," the professor giggled. "I'm glad, though, that I'm not the only person who has put thought into this, and, maybe it will appease your mind to know this: I don't do booty calls."

Emma looked straight into the brunette's eyes, "Honestly, Regina, all I've ever done are booty calls and one night stands." She watched the professor tense. "_But, _I want so much more than that from you. If you're willing to give it. I don't mean today. I don't mean next week. I mean whenever you're ready- if ever- I'll be here."

Tears started to form in Regina's eyes. She was not used to such open honesty, not since Daniel had passed. And here it was, being presented to her in a whole nother package. Some people weren't even lucky enough to find happiness like this once in their lives, and here was Regina, being presented with it a second time.

A soft hand reached up and wiped away her tears, "Even we you cry, you manage to be stunning. The only problem is," Emma turned the brunette's head towards her, kissing away what was left of the tears, "I never want to see you cry again. Not sad tears."

Regina smiled up at the woman, then turned to lean into her chest. In less than a blink, she felt strong arms wrapping around her shoulders. When the body moved away, Regina's face fell, but her worries were soon assuaged by a hand gently tugging on her arm.

"Lay down with me," Emma asked quietly, waiting as Regina obeyed. "Ask me anything you want. Anything, and I'll answer honestly."

Regina wrapped her arms around a petite waist as two wrapped around her own. She stared into Emma's eyes, contemplating where to start. She thought about the short time that she had known Emma, and picked for any question that would come to mind.

Finally she decided, what better way to start than at the beginning.

"Were you always in foster care?" She questioned.

Emma winced, clearly not liking having to talk about that time. "Yeah. I guess I was left on the side of some road as a kid. All the families that took me in ended up sending me back to the home. I hopped around a lot, didn't really have any material possessions, except the blanket I was found wrapped up in. I still have it."

"If you don't know your parents, how do you know your last name?" the brunette was slightly hung up on this one.

"What? Swan?" Emma questioned with a smile, "That's not my birth parents' last name. Remember how I said 'Miss Swan' reminds me of a mom I had once?" she questioned back.

"Yes."

"Well, that's just it. When I was young I had stayed with a family for awhile and the name stuck, kind of." Emma explained.

"If the name stuck, why didn't the family stick?" Regina wondered aloud.

"Well, the mom got pregnant and they realized they could have a real family of their own without some little reject child."

Regina stretched out a hand and placed it on Emma's face. "You are not a reject," the brunette said, boring her eyes into Emma's. "Anyone who gave you up missed out on so much."

The blonde smiled gratefully, placing her hand on top of the other woman's, "Next question," she prompted.

Deciding to drop the topic of bad times, Regina smiled as she thought of her next question, "Why so many flowers."

Emma matched her smile, stroking the brunette's hair, "I was trying to find something to compare to your beauty, so I kept buying and buying, but I realized after a few thousand that none could ever compare. It was too late to send them back, and I really did think you'd enjoy the scent and color it adds to everything, so I thought I'd keep it."

"You're wonderful, Emma."

"You're too good for me, Regina."

The brunette slid her hand back into the blonde's hair and pulled her into a sweet, serene kiss.

When she pulled away she looked straight into hazel orbs, "You deserve the best, Emma. You do."

"And I've found it."

Regina slid her head down onto the blonde's chest and snuggled in. She could get used to being held, being protected, being loved again.


	10. All Night Long

**_A/n:_****_ Hey lovers. It's been awhile, eh? No longer than last time, I guess. Well, just a heads up, I wrote this chapter for cuteness, cuteness, and... sauciness? Anyways, there's an open-ended scene where I'll let your minds make up the rest. Hint: I'm letting your minds ROAM._**

**_Stay Golden, Folks_**

**_~R._**

_When she pulled away she looked straight into hazel orbs, "You deserve the best, Emma. You do."_

"_And I've found it." _

_Regina slid her head down onto the blonde's chest and snuggled in. She could get used to being held, being protected, being loved again._

* * *

Emma stared up at the ceiling, letting her mind run rampant. She had so much to think about. The night went perfectly, though it how it went was not as Emma had planned. After the initial panic and embarrassment that was the missing parmesan cheese, everything ran smoothly. Regina loaned her what she needed to finish making dinner, the Mills family actually enjoyed the food (though Henry did mention something about it being shaped like a dinosaur next time), and now she was lying on the most comfortable couch in the entire world, holding one of the most spectacular women of the entire world.

She looked down at said woman and took in her features. If Regina was gorgeous when awake, there was something more to be said when the woman was sleeping peacefully. The worry, the stress, it had all left her, leaving a young, faintly smiling, beautiful woman in it's wake. Emma frowned, wondering what was always tugging at Regina's mind; what horror stories she must have lived and relived, to have such high walls built around her, never planning on letting anyone in.

_But she let me in,_ Emma thought, _sort of. She let me meet her wonderful kid that she obviously loves and would protect above all else. She let me into her house. She let me into her workplace. She'll let me into her past when she's ready._

The blonde smiled again. She was right. The brunette would let her in once she realized Emma wasn't planning on going anywhere. At some point, Regina would see how Emma truly felt, and would let her in. Completely.

The blonde was snapped out of her happy thoughts by the sound of small feet pitter-pattering on the hardwood floor and small voice whispering, "Momma?"

Emma unraveled herself from the brunette woman in her arms and stood up, her legs wobbly from inactivity. Nonetheless, she made it around the couch without falling, and crouched down to be at eye level with the child.

"Hey, Henry," she greeted with a smile, then noticed the off look on his face. It was almost as if he was scared, maybe even embarrassed. "What's wrong, buddy?" The blonde asked, placing a comforting arm on his shoulder.

Before she knew it, a small mass hurtled into her, almost sending her spiralling backwards, and tiny arms wrapped around her neck. She heard sniffling in her ears.

"Henry, bud," she prompted, "I can't fix whatever's wrong if you don't tell me about it."

"There's… There's monstas unda my bed," he whispered, trying not to cry. "And I can't sleep with 'em there."

Emma pulled back and looked at the boy, stifling the yawn that threatened to emerge from her mouth, "How 'bout I go slay 'em for ya? Can you sleep then?"

The boy shook his head, pouting, "I just wanna sleep in Momma's bed tanight."

The blonde sat back on her heels, wondering how she was going to make that possible. There was no way she would deny the boy his mother. It wasn't her place to make that decision, and- Emma thought back to her nights in the system when she feared the monsters her foster siblings tormented her with stories of- a mother's protection was just the thing to help a kid sleep at night.

"Alright," Emma finally responded. "Will you help me get Momma to her room?"

The little boy pulled back and looked at the blonde woman. "You want me to wake her up?" he questioned, a devious smile starting to take place of his earlier frown.

"No," Emma wagged a finger at him, but couldn't help laughing at the boy. He obviously had some childish form of torture that he liked to use to wake up his mother. "You're gonna show me where Momma's room is, and I'm going to carry her up there."

The boy pouted again, "So I can't ticka her awake?"

"Not tonight, kid," She smiled at his frown. "Maybe if you wake up before her tomorrow," she offered.

"Okay!"

"But you're going to sleep extra well tonight because you're in Momma's bed, right?" Emma reminded him of why he was going to be in Regina's room in the first place, seeing that the boy seemed to take a little too much glee in her suggestion.

"Sí," the boy nodded enthusiastically.

"Okay, then kid," the blonde turned around to study the older woman's position. The brunette had rolled herself onto her back, curling into the back of the couch. She had her knees slightly bent, which would help with what Emma was about to do.

The blonde took light, cautious steps over to the sleeping brunette and bent down. She didn't want Regina waking up when she had been sleeping so peacefully.

Bending down, Emma gently grabbed one of Regina's arms and slipped it around her shoulder. Then she slid her own under the sleeping woman's back. Emma's other arm wrapped under the brunette's legs, and on the count of three, Emma lifted.

Cradling Regina to her chest, Emma looked down and caught the little boy's eyes, "Lead the way, kid." Then, remembering how Henry's footsteps on the stairs had woken her up, she added, "Quietly."

Henry nodded and started tiptoeing towards the staircase. Once he got there, he starting going faster up steps and walked off into one of the bedrooms. Emma tried following, but couldn't quite keep up with the child without the fear of waking the woman in her arms. Then she heard it.

"Emma?" a sleep laden voice questioned.

She looked down at the woman who had unconsciously curled even more into her chest.

"What're you doing?"

The blonde smiled at the sleepy mumbles coming from the woman, "Shhh… Everything's alright, Reggie."

"But-"

"Go back to sleep," Emma ordered quietly.

That was all it took. The brunette snuggled more into Emma's arms and closed her eyes again. Emma smiled at how right it all felt. Holding Regina like this, bridal style… _maybe someday,_ she thought.

Reaching the top of the stairs, she looked around for the little boy with the mop of brown hair sticking out everywhere from his fitful sleep. Seeing him nowhere, she walked to the closest and only open door, figuring that was where he was. Stepping inside, she finally saw his little form standing on the bed. She walked to the side of the California King mattress and laid down the woman in her arms.

"Okay, kid," she whispered, "Can you go find me a piece of paper and pen?"

Henry sat down on the bed before hopping to the floor, never answering the blonde woman's question. He walked to the table next to the bed and opened the drawer.

"Henry, you shouldn't go through your mother's stuff like that," Emma warned.

"But it's where Momma keeps the paper pad," he defended, bringing a small rectangular pad of papers and a black ink pen out of the nightstand. He handed both to the blonde, who set both down next to the brunette's alarm clock.

"Okay, Hen, does Momma sleep on top of covers or under 'em?"

"Unda 'em," he answered, "so she can snugga with me."

"Alrighty, then," Emma huffed, leaning back down to the woman. "When I pick her up, you move the covers, alright, kid?"

Henry nodded and did as he was told. Once his mother was tucked in, he scrambled around the other side of the bed and snuggled up to her, as Emma turned back to the pad of papers and pen.

She thought for a moment on what to say, but then just put what came to mind. Hoping it would make Regina smile the next morning, she set the pad of papers back down next to the clock and turned around.

The sight before her was adorable, to say the least. Regina was sprawled out on her back, while her son had his arm wrapped around her middle and his head resting on her chest. Both had small, lazy smiles across their faces, obvious signs that they were peaceful.

Emma reached in her pocket and grabbed her cell phone. Exiting out of the missed text messages, she opened her camera and snapped a photo of the two. Then she leaned down and placed a light kiss on the brunette woman's brow.

"Goodnight," she whispered quietly, tiptoeing out of the bedroom and down the stairs. She slipped her boots and coat on and snuck out the door, making sure to lock the handle before she stepped out.

She walked to her car and sat in it, a goofy smile crossing her features, and a feeling of inexplicable joy in her heart.

"Best. Night. Ever." She said to the darkness before turning on her car and heading back to her apartment.

* * *

When she finally got home, she thanked the heavens Ruby was asleep. She did not thank the heavens, though, that Ruby was asleep on the couch, naked, and wrapped around a smaller, and also very much naked brunette that Emma assumed was Mary Margaret.

"Gross," the blonde whined to no one in particular. "Now we have to burn the couch…. I really liked that couch."

Whining and naked people set aside, Emma was exhausted. She trudged to her bedroom door and swung it open, flinging herself onto the bed. Once she was there, though, all thoughts of sleep left her mind, replaced by giddiness and thoughts of Regina. The night truly had gone great, and though Emma wouldn't have minded spending the whole night wrapped around Regina, she was content with how it ended.

Rolling over, Emma squeezed her pillow to her chest. She looked at her clock. 2AM. Office hours stated at eleven on Sundays, which meant nine hours until Emma got to see that gorgeous face again. Maybe she could wait that long.

* * *

"Momma," a small voice whispered in her ear. "Momma get up!"

Regina rolled over and hugged her pillow tighter to her. "Shhh…" She mumbled to the intruder.

"Momma!" the little voice shouted, more urgent this time. "Get up! The ticka monsta's comin!"

And just like that, the older brunette felt little hands on her, tickling her everywhere. Oh, how she wished Daniel had never taught Henry about the tickle monster because, even at such a young age, the smart little boy had caught on, and now used it against Regina whenever he could.

The brunette jumped as shock ran through her body, falling off the edge of the bed and onto the floor.

She heard a little gasp of shock from above, and finally opened her eyes to meet a two small brown ones. Her son was lying on his stomach, eyes peeked over the edge of the bed as he stared at his fallen momma.

"Momma?" he questioned quietly.

"Yes?" she whispered back, finally managing to catch the breath that had been forced out of her upon impact.

"You okay?"

"I'm fine, dear, just a bit shocked," she answered honestly. She was shocked. How had she ended up in her room with her son? She was more than positive she had fallen asleep on the couch with Emma.

...Emma.

Then she remembered the stairs, and the covers, and… but that was a dream, right?

"Henry," she inquired, "did Momma walk herself upstairs last night?"

"Nope," the boy shook his head.

"Then how did Momma get into bed?"

"Emma," he answered, like it was obvious. "She lifted you up and carried you all the way here."

"Did she?" Regina asked, trying to confirm, again, that it wasn't just a dream.

At the nod of the little boy, Regina smiled. She picked herself off the floor and looked at her alarm clock for the time. 9AM. She had two hours to get ready and head to her office.

She began to turn around when she noticed the note. Leaning down, she grabbed it off the nightstand and began to read.

_Reggie-_

_Tonight was wonderful. I had such a great time with you and the kid. Your house… well, mansion… is beautiful. Not as beautiful as you, though._

Regina blushed at the compliment.

_Anyways, I thought maybe I should leave a note because you might be slightly confused when you wake up. Henry came downstairs last night, afraid of some monsters under his bed. He wanted to sleep with his Momma, so I helped you up the stairs and tucked you both in._

_I also now have the most adorable picture in the world that I can use as blackmail to ruin your evil reputation._

_~E._

_P.S.- All this hard work and I never got a goodnight kiss. Can we make up for that during office hours? ;)_

Regina laughed at how the letter ended and picked up her phone. Opening a new text, she addressed it to Emma and smiled at her own humor.

_When you make suggestions like that, you sound like a horny teenager, dear._

_~R._

The brunette turned to her son. "Is grandma here yet, Henry?" she queried.

"Yup! She's makin breafast."

"How about you go down there and help her while Momma gets ready," Regina suggested with a smile.

The boy stood up on the bed and smiled at his mother, "Okay, but I need my bye-byes first."

Regina grinned. He wanted his bye-byes, something he almost never forgot to ask for, and she never forgot to give. She walked over to the boy who was now her height as he stood on the bed.

"You want your bye-byes?" She asked, pretending to be shocked.

"Duh, Momma! I always want my bye-byes."

"But I'm not going anywhere right now, sweetheart," she explained.

"But I'm not gonna see you until you're done with the showa and that takes a long time, so I want my bye-byes," the young brunette said, a pout forming on his face.

"Only if you turn that frown upside down, young man," Regina ordered, a faux stern tone playing in her voice.

Henry grinned widely in response, causing the brunette to wrap her son in her arms and swing him around in a circle until she stood him back up on the bed.

"Goodbye, my sweet boy," she said, kissing him on the nose and squeezing him one last time. "I'll see you when I'm done with my shower, alright?"

"Ahright."

The boy let his mother life him off the bed and set him on the floor. One more peck to the crown of his head, and Henry was off, rushing out of the room and down the stairs.

"No running on the stairs, Henry Mills," both his mother and grandmother called out at the same time.

After hearing the child huff in annoyance,the brunette mother chuckled. Henry reminded her so much of herself at that young age; always wanting to go somewhere, to do something, and always being slowed down by the adults in their lives. It seemed so unfair, but as she grew, she realized they were all right. There was no need to rush everything when you had the rest of your life.

She was rushing with Emma, though, wasn't she? It hadn't yet been a week and she was letting the blonde into her home, letting her meet her son. That was rushing, wasn't it?

So why didn't it feel that way. Why did it feel so- dare she say- _normal_? Why did it not feel wrong to be doing something she knows is considered immoral?

Pushing the thoughts out of her mind, Regina retreated into the bathroom, closing an . The last thing she needed was a certain little boy running in to tell his momma something and leaving scarred for life.

She shed yesterday's clothes slowly, careful to separate them into the right hamper. First went her blouse, now crumpled and wrinkled from sleep. Next, her skinny jeans, which took a few minutes to try to wriggle out of. She reached over and started the shower, adjusting the temperature ever so slightly before peeling off her undergarments.

Checking the temperature one last time, the woman stepped into the shower and let the water cascade down onto her. The heat surrounding her body reminded her of the warm body that held her the night before as she and Emma spoke. It made her thing of the strong arms that carried her to her bed.

_Those arms…That strength. _

Her hands roamed with her thoughts.

* * *

The sound of vibration against wood awoke the blonde. Growling, she leaned blindly smacked her hand around on the nightstand. If only she could get the noise to stop.

"I'm trying to sleep, phone," She mumbled groggily, finally reaching the offending device.

She held the phone in front of her face, squinting at the message. Finally, realizing she wouldn't be able to read it, the blonde turned fully towards her nightstand and opened the top drawer. After digging around for what seemed like hours, the blonde snatched what she had been looking for, and placed the black, thick-rimmed glasses on her face.

Now that she was able to read, she noticed the text was from Regina.

_Reggie! _The blonde exclaimed internally, joy filling her every being.

Emma never knew why people always talked about "good morning" texts. She never understood the significance and had to force herself not to laugh when the girls in her school gossiped and blushed over a silly text that they woke up to. Now she understood. She hadn't even opened the text yet, and she was already giddy about what it could possibly say.

When she finally did open the text, she laughed. Loudly.

_When you make suggestions like that, you sound like a horny teenager, dear._

_~R._

_That's _ what she got. A lovely dinner, an amazing nap in snuggly arms, and room service (quite literally), and all she got was _horny teenager?_

So she may be right, Emma may be thinking the thoughts of a horny teenager in the company of the brunette, but what else did Regina expect? She was gorgeous and she liked Emma back and… and..

_And she's more than just a piece of meat_, Emma reminded herself. _She's sexy, she's flawless, but she also has a brain to match. _Emma looked back down at the text message, rereading it. She looked over the screen and read the time. Yes, the brunette was sexy, flawless, and a genius..._And she's going to kill me for being late._

"Shit! Shit! SHIT!"

Emma jumped from the bed and towards the closet, grabbing the first articles of clothing she could find. She slipped them on as quickly as she could before jumping onto the bed and reaching across it to grab her favorite pair of boots. As soon as they were in the blonde's hands, she slammed her feet into them and ran down the stairs.

When she reached the bottom of the stairs, the blonde sprinted to the door, passing, again, her naked roommate and equally as naked girlfriend.

"Honestly," Emma complained, loudly enough to wake her best friend. "Would it kill you two to put on some freaking clothes!"

"Sorry, babe." the response was lost in the slamming of the door as the blonde ran down more stairs in her attempt to reach the ground floor and get outside. She couldn't believe she had slept so late. Office hours started at eleven, which meant she had approximately seven minutes to make it across town and to the campus.

"Fuck," she hissed under her breath, taking off in a dead sprint. Maybe her early morning workouts would finally pay off.

* * *

**Thirty minutes later, the blonde stood outside the administrative office with two cups of coffee and a sweat-soaked white tanktop. She looked down at herself, hoping she looked somewhat presentable.**

She didn't.

_Maybe, _ she mused, _the coffee will make it all better._

She jogged up the remaining stairs, hoping not to spill any of the coffee on herself. When she reached the top, she pushed open the heavy wooden doors and hurried her way down the hall to the door marked _Ms. Mills, Administrator._

She nudged the door open with her hip and smiled apologetically at the woman sitting behind the desk.

"Honey, I'm hooooome," she joked, but quickly shut herself up when she realized the brunette was not laughing. In fact, if Emma was correct, the brunette seemed to be upset. "Regina?" She questioned.

The brunette only cleared her throat.

"I brought coffee," the blonde tried to smile again, setting the cup down in front of the professor.

"Thank you, Miss Swan," the tense voice cued to Emma that something was wrong. Something had changed since last night.

"Miss Swan?" the blonde questioned. "Did I miss something?"

"Oh, yes, Miss Swan. You missed something," the brunette's stoney face turned into a bright smile as she stood up and strutted towards the blonde. "You missed something, indeed."

Before Emma could blink, she had one olive-skinned arm wrapped around her waist and another around her neck. Two plush lips collided with hers, leaving the blonde shocked. The painted red lips moved against hers, and no matter how confused Emma was in that moment, she still wasn't stupid. She moved her mouth with the one pressing against it.

She felt a tongue caressing the crevice between her top and bottom lip. Opening her mouth to grant entrance, the blonde heard a moan of satisfaction. She wasn't sure which one of them it came from, but it was soon followed by that of the other, and a hand slipping lower and lower until it gripped her ass. She hears another moan, and this time she knew it was her.

When the two broke apart it was only for air.

"That was…" the blonde trailed off, not able to finish her sentence.

"What I wanted to do before you left last night," the brunette smirked at the blonde's look of shock. "I wanted you to have _amazing_ fantasies… I mean dreams," she corrected herself. "Of me, of course. All. Night. Long."

"Well, then, since I didn't get the dreams," the blonde leaned in for another kiss, only to be met with the brunette's hand, effectively blocking her lips.

Smudging her lips against the intruding hand, Emma mumbled, "What's this?"

"This, my dear," Regina moved the hand and smiled back at the blonde, "Is your punishment. You're almost forty-five minutes late."

Emma pulled the brunette tight against her body and groaned into the brunette's shoulder, "And what a cruel punishment it is."


	11. Shut Up

_**A/N:**__** Ayyyyyy... So it's technically Monday again, but we'll pretend it's still Sunday because I have the power and authority to do that. Also, in some parts of the country, it still is Sunday, so... To Shiphappens: It's 1:11 here in Iowa. I'm sorry I failed you. To Crazyheart101: Hey girl :) To everyone else: Let's get to reading and reviewing, yes?! YES!**_

_**(I get weird and oddly excited over the small stuff when I'm tired.)**_

_**LET'S GET TO IT!**_

_**~R**_

_Smudging her lips against the intruding hand, Emma mumbled, "What's this?"_

"_This, my dear," Regina moved the hand and smiled back at the blonde, "Is your punishment. You're almost forty-five minutes late."_

_Emma pulled the brunette tight against her body and groaned into the brunette's shoulder, "And what a cruel punishment it is."_

* * *

The blonde looked down at the stack of papers in front of her. She sighed- loudly- and looked over at the brunette sitting behind her huge mahogany desk. It was unfair how quickly Regina's pile was diminishing, while Emma's pile seemed to get bigger- or stay the same size at least.

The blonde sighed again, hoping to grab the brunette's attention. When brown eyes didn't look up to meet very bored hazel, the blonde stood and trekked her way across the room. She snuck up behind the brunette's chair and leaned down close, letting her breath wash over the professor's neck.

"What's your secret?" Emma questioned in a whisper.

"What secret, dear?" Regina let her body sink into the chair, squeezing her thighs together, and trying to not whimper at the warm air caressing her neck, and the voice whispering in her ear. Her mind briefly flashed to the shower she had taken that morning.

* * *

_Checking the temperature one last time, the woman stepped into the shower and let the water cascade down onto her. The heat surrounding her body reminded her of the warm body that held her the night before as she and Emma spoke. It made her think of the strong arms that carried her to her bed_.

Those arms…That strength… Emma.

_She remembered how it felt to be surrounded by that muscular, yet feminine and sexy physique the blonde woman had. It was like heaven._

_The brunette slipped her hands down the front of her body, missing all the spots she wanted so badly to touch. The woman had always been a tease in intimate moments, even to herself._

_When she reached the apex of her thighs, the woman moved her arms upwards. Again, skipping all sensitive spots, until her soft hands had made it back up to her neck. During the next journey of warm hands over smooth, wet, olive skin, the brunette allowed herself to gently squeeze and massage her breasts. A small moan escaped her plump lips as she started to tease her own nipples, flicking and pinching the nubs._

_After minutes of torture, the brunette's hands went opposite directions, one traveling upwards, the other south towards her awaiting heat._

_She slipped one manicured hand into her hair, grabbing a fistfull and giving it a light tug, holding securely to the brunette locks, as the other parted her folds. Her fingers slid carefully through, and the brunette wasted no time before shoving two digits into herself._

"_Emma…" she moaned lightly, not able to stop herself._

_In the back of her mind, a small voice was shouting how wrong this was. She should stop, she barely knew the blonde that was causing her this much want and need. But how could it be so wrong when thinking of Emma touching her felt so right?_

"_Emma,' She moaned again, moving her fingers at a faster rate, tugging harder on her fistfull of hair, "take me."_

* * *

"Regiiiiiinnaaaa,"the blonde was still whispering in her ear, this time dragging out the brunette's name, trying to regain her attention. "I asked you a question, professor."

The professor snapped back into reality with a small jump. She pressed her thighs together even tighter, the flashback paired with Emma's use of her job title doing nothing to help her current situation. _Damn that idiotic blonde for being so….idiotic...ly sexy._

Trying to cover up her day dreaming, though she knew it would've been all too obvious to the blonde, the brunette hummed and spoke, "You'll have to repeat, dear, I don't think I heard you. After all, you were whispering."

The blonde chuckled in her ear and planted a tiny kiss on the side of the brunette's neck, "We both know damn well it wasn't my volume that distracted you."

"You know nothing, Miss Swan," the brunette replied, trying to keep the breathiness out of her voice… but _damn_, that woman, and _damn_, her lips. The brunette pushed it all aside with a, "Please, Miss Swan, ask the damn question so we can move on."

"Jeesh," the blonde let out a big breath, not missing the brunette's shudder. "Who pissed in your cheerios?"

Regina turned to the woman behind her, shock written all over her face, "Is this really your important question, Miss Swan, because I-"

The professor was stopped by Emma's laughter, wondering what in the hell the blonde found so amusing. Was this some sort of game Emma was playing? Because it wasn't funny. She didn't have time to sit around and joke about urinating in sugary breakfast foods.

"Miss Swan," the professor warned.

"Yeah, yeah, Reggie. Give me a minute," Emma couldn't help the laughter that rolled out of her in droves.

"Miss Swan, some of us have work to do."

"That was my point, Reggie."

Regina stared up at the blonde, confusion etched in her features, "What was your point?"

"My question," Emma explained, "Was 'how do you do it?' Referring to completing so much work in such a small time. It's like you cut your pile in half, and mine grew."

The professor listened to the blonde whine until she was finished. Then she reached up two hands, placing one on the Emma's neck, and tangling the other in the student's long blonde locks.

Regina pulled the woman into her, placing her lips on the shell of her ear, "You want to know my secret, dear?" The seductive Latina felt Emma's head nod through her hold on the girl's hair. "Well, I-" she paused, and blew a warm breath out over Emma's ear. "I-" another pause. "I focus on my task until it's completed."

Regina let go of the blonde a swiveled her chair back into it's correct position. Now facing the desk, she reached up to the stack of files next to her and grabbed the one on the top. She smirked, just knowing how the blonde's face would look right now: slack jawed, covered with a light blush at the arousal the brunette had caused, maybe even an impressed smirk would grace the thin, pink lips.

"Come, now, dear. We have have work to do," Regina said, a smirk playing across her own lips.

"Tease," the blonde huffed, "my girlfriend is a tease."

This time it was Regina's turn to be shocked, "Girlfriend?"

The blonde turned to face her, "Yes, Reggie. You're my girlfriend. I thought you knew this."

"I guess… I just…" the brunette stumbled over her words. "I guess that would be what we are."

"Trust me," the blonde waltzed back over to the wooden desk, "I wouldn't go through all this trouble for no one, Regina Mills. Only someone special."

Emma leaned over the desk and lightly kissed the shocked woman on the lips.

"Girlfriend…" Regina drawled, as soon as they split apart. "I like it."

The blonde smiled and started at the woman sitting in front of her, "Good. Because I like you, and I don't see that changing anytime soon."

"You like me, huh?" Regina interrogated.

"Yup," the blonde smiled and winked at her brunette counterpart.

"I guess I'll have to think up alternative forms of punishment then," the professor threatened idly.

"Does one of them include me taking you dancing next Friday night?" The blonde paused as soon as she said it. She shouldn't have asked, but it just popped into her head. She wanted so badly to see how the brunette could move that seductive body, and Emma would definitely be able to impress, considering she was no stranger to the dance floor herself.

The blonde looked over at her professor, trying to gauge the woman's reaction. So far, not so good. The brunette was staring at Emma, totally lost in thought.

_That's not a no._ Emma's all-too-optimistic mind reminded her.

_But it's also not a yes._

"Look, Regina. You don't have to go," Emma explained. "It was just an idle thought of mine. I thought maybe you liked to dance. I mean, you definitely have the perfect body for it…. and I mean that in the most gentlewomanly way you could ever take it."

"Shut up, Miss Swan."

"Excuse me?" Emma pulled back, shocked at the brunette's answer.

"Shut up," Regina repeated. "I would love to go dancing with you next Friday night."

"Yay!" the blonde cheered. She leaned down to kiss the brunette on her soft, full lips. "I'm so excited."

"Maybe you can channel you excitement into completing some work, then, Miss Swan?" The professor joked with a smile.

"Yeah. Yeah. Whatever you say, Reggie."

* * *

It had been hours, literal hours since Emma had heard Regina's voice.

_And why is that, Emma? _The blonde questioned herself. _Oh, yeah. You whined about doing too much work and kept spacing off to stare at the gorgeous woman in the room with you and she kicked you out. Way to go, Swan._

"Hey Rubes!" the blonde shouted, stepping into their apartment.

"Hey, white chick! What's crackalackin?" the lanky brunette asked from her perch on top of the counter.

"You do know that you are also caucasian, right?" Emma sighed in faux annoyance.

"Listen, I thought you'd respond better to me calling you white chick than pale girl," the brunette joked.

"You must be blind because I'm nowhere near as white as you are, Ruby. You glow in the dark," Emma argued, throwing up her hands.

"Yeah, yeah. Sooo…" Ruby drug out the word and wiggled her eyebrows, throwing hint after hint at her blonde roommate.

"So what, Ruby?" Emma sighed, exasperatedly. Ruby was great and all, but after Regina kicking her out, and not letting her back in following many, many attempts on the blonde's behalf, Emma didn't have enough patience to deal with her innuendos and hints.

"You never told me how the date went with Miss Mills, that's what!" Ruby shouted, excitment obvious in her eyes. "Did you guys do the forbidden tango?"

"OH MY GOD NO!" Emma shouted. "Honestly, Rubes?! I've known her for like a week. It was our first date. I came over to make dinner for her and her son. Her _son,_ Ruby. The little four year old boy that calls her mom. Do I need to list any more reasons why that is _wrong?!"_

"Hey, girl, I was just asking. The old Emma didn't care about any of those things." Ruby paused, obviously contemplating something. "Okay, she would've definitely cared about the kid, but none of the other things would've mattered."

"I'm not the old Emma," Emma defended. "And I really like this woman, and there's no way in hell I am making this relationship all physical."

Ruby stared at her roommate and felt tears rising in her eyes.

"Shit, Rubes? Why are you crying?"

"I'm not crying," the brunette wiped her eyes and continued. "This bitch never cries."

The blonde in the room had to bite her lip to keep from laughing. Ruby was definitely on the verge of tears, the only problem was the blonde had no idea why.

"Ruby, is it that time of the month again?" Emma tried.

"EXCUSE YOU?! Why would you even ask that right now?" The tall brunette slapped her hands down on the counter in outrage. "I'm not allowed to cry unless it's that time of the month?"

"It's not that," Emma assured. "It's just that you, like every other woman I've ever met, are more likely to get teary-eyed when it is, in fact, that time." The blonde hoped that explanation would suffice and grabbed the brunnette by the hand.

"Maybe I am." Ruby offered.

"I know, girl. I know," Emma hugged her makeshift sister and stood back, still trying not to laugh at the absurdity of the situation.

"How?"

"It's the only time you were clothes that cover more than just your lady bits," the blonde gestured at her roommate's sweatpants and tanktop. She saw the look of offence flash across Ruby's face before she heard the mumbled reply.

"You're right."

"What was that?" Emma questioned, raising a hand to the side of her head and cupping it around an ear. "I don't think I heard you."

Ruby reached up and smacked the girl on the head, opposite the side that had Emma's hand cuffed to it.

"I said," the brunette started, "you're going to find me some Ibuprofen and some chocolate, and then we're going to sit in my room while you tell me all about your date with Professor Hottie. Right?"

"Right."

* * *

Almost a full hour had passed before Emma finished her recanting of the perfect date she shared with Regina. It probably would have gone quicker, had the roommates not stopped and squealed at several moments in the story. Emma had never been one for romance, and she _seriously_ had never been one to squeal over it, but the date was just… _perfect._

"Wait, wait, wait. You carried her up the stairs?" Ruby asked, shocked.

"Yeah?" Emma answered, more as a question of confusion than an answer.

"Why didn't you just wake her up?"

"Why didn't I just….Rubes! Would you seriously have woken M&M up for a quick trip up the stairs and into bed?" the blonde questioned her best friend.

"Emma, I'm a feisty bitch. You put me in a ring with anyone and I can take 'em down in two minutes or less. I am a ball of hot, sexy fury, and I know how to use it to my advantage," Ruby explained. "I am not, however, that strong. You've seen Mary Margaret. She's tiny. I can life her during sexy times," the lengthy brunette added a playful wink, "but I could never carry her up a whole flight of stairs. Especially if she's sleeping. Sleeping people are like dead weight, right?"

"So what you're telling me is you don't understand how I'm so incredibly sexy _and_ ripped enough to carry my smoking hot, hourglass-figured, Latina girlfriend up a flight of stairs?" Emma questioned, smirking while she bragged about her new relationship.

"Yes, Emma. That's exactly what I'm saying," Ruby's tone dripped of sarcasm while she rolled her eyes. "No. I'm just shocked you didn't wake her up is all."

"Of course I didn't wake her up. She was sleeping, Rubes," Emma explained, seeing Ruby's lack of understanding refusing to dissipate. "Look, I think we can both agree that Regina is a beautiful woman, yes?" At the nod of her roommate, Emma continued, "but you've only seen her when she's awake. She's something else when she's asleep, Rubes. She just looks so….so free and all her worries seem to drift away, and she's just so beyond gorgeous when she's that relaxed, and I just didn't want to ruin it for her. She doesn't get that during the day. She's a mom and a professor, and an administrator on top of everything. She didn't need me waking her out of obviously peaceful sleep when I could've just carried her up there myself."

"Shit, dude." Ruby exhaled.

"What?" The blonde's eyes searched her friend for whatever may be causing the brunette to react that way.

"You're so in love."

"I'm not in-"

"Shut up, Emma. You're in love."

* * *

Regina Mills stepped into her mansion and kicked off her heels. She heard tiny, running feet, and prepped herself for the impact that was going to happen in three...two... one.

"Momma!" a little voice cried out,

"Henry!" The brunette shouted back, scooping up her son and holding him on her hip as they exchanged hugs and kisses.

"I missed you today, Momma," the little boy admitted with a heart-melting smile.

"I missed you to, baby boy," Regina squeezed her son tighter, before pulling back and looking him in the eyes. "Where's grandma at, sweetheart?"

"I'm in the kitchen dear," a warm, older voice called through the house before the woman who owned said voice peeked her head around the corner. "I figured you would be tired after work, so I took the liberty of making dinner for the two of you."

"Thank you, Mother," Regina followed her older lookalike into her kitchen. "And what is it you're making?" the professor asked, sniffing the air.

"Well, dinosaur nuggets and mashed potatoes of course! Henry said he didn't get any dinosaur nuggets last night, so I promised to make them for him."

"He didn't get any dinosaur nuggets because Emma made us dinner," Regina explained. "Chicken parmesan, potatoes, and a small side of broccoli."

"Sounds like an ambitious woman," Cora offered. "Was it any good?"

"Fantastic, actually. I would say she'd almost rival us in the kitchen, but that's unfair considering she's making it into her future profession."

"So you've landed yourself a Culinary Arts student?" Cora asked.

"I haven't landed anything, Mother. We just had one very good date."

Cora smirked, "And are you planning another?"

"Yes, actually. I was wondering if you wouldn't mind taking Henry this Friday. He cannot be alone, and Emma asked to take me dancing."

"Multiple dates, and she likes to dance. You've landed yourself every Latina's dream, my dear," the eldest brunette's smile held nothing but happiness for her daughter and the woman's new relationship.

This Emma must have been something special if she was meeting Henry and allowed into Regina's home so easily. Cora raised her daughter to take necessary risks, but not to be stupid.

Cora looked at her grandson, "Henry, my love." The big, chocolate eyes snapped to attention. "Will you go play with your toys while Momma and Gramma have a little chat?"

"Yeah, Gramma."

Both women watched the boy tottle off before they locked eyes.

"So, are you going to tell me about this perfect date, or am I going to have to drag it out of you, dear?" Cora interrogated her daughter.

"I suppose it wouldn't hurt you to hear about it. It truly was marvelous."

* * *

Cora pulled dinner out of the oven as Regina finished telling her story, not leaving out a single detail. The elder brunette divided the food evenly on three plates and continued to smile while she listened to her daughter.

It'd been so long since Regina had smiled like this, talked like this, lived like this. After losing Daniel and her father, Cora was afraid she'd never see such happiness in her daughter ever again. She always knew Henry would keep her smiling, keep her going, but she always worried that someday Henry would grow up and Regina would lose that happiness. Now, with Emma, she could never see that happening to her darling girl.

"She carried you up the stairs?" Cora asked, incredulously.

"Yes. She told me today that it was just easier that way, but there's no way that was easier, Mother."

"Not with your gorgeous curves, my dear," Cora teased.

Regina opened her mouth in shock, "I don't know if I should be shocked or offended right now."

"Probably both. Now go get your son, so I can eat," the elder ordered. "I can't wait forever, dear. I'm getting older."

Regina brought her son back moments later, and the three Mills sat side by side, eating their dinners. Once finished, it was time for Henry to be put to bed and Cora to leave. Regina made sure both were done in that order, sensing her mother had something to say before she left.

As the little boy's mother made her way down the steps, she witnessed her own mother struggling to get on her coat.

"Let me help you, Mother," she offered, pulling the jacket slightly to one side. "It'll be easier this way."

Cora slipped her arm through the hole, finally, and turned to look at her daughter. She cupped the younger woman's face in her hands and leaned forward, leaving a peck on the professor's forehead.

"I'm so happy you've found love again, Regina."

"Mother, it's love. I've haven't even known Emma a full week until tomorrow."

"Shut up and listen to me, dear. It's love. I see it in your eyes, I hear it in your voice. I can tell it by her actions since the two of you have met. She love you and you love her. It's love."

"But-" the younger brunette tried to protest.

"I told you to shut up, dear. Maybe it wouldn't be such a bad idea to listen to you mother, no?" Cora joked.

Regina smiled up at eyes that matched hers, "I love you, Mother."

"I love you, too, dear," she returned the sentiment with a grin. "Until Friday?"

"Until Friday."


	12. Accidents Happen

_**A/n: Yes, It's shorter. Yes, I'm late. Yes, I'm aware. AND... Yes, I do apologize. My wi-fi at home is shotty at best and now my computer is fritzing out randomly. Add that to less than two weeks away from opening night of the musical I'm in, and you get a short, cute, fluffy, Swan Queen chapter. Enjoy. **_

_**~R**_

"Emma! Get your ass up or you're gonna miss class," a voice shouted from downstairs.

Emma jumped at the new volume to the otherwise quietness of her sleep and gazed at the clock.

"Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Shit. Not again," the blonde jumped from her bed and went running towards the closet. "Reggie's going to kill me!"

The student grabbed a pair of tight jeans and a white tanktop. Looking in her mirror, she deemed the outfit appropriate, and ran from the loft to the downstairs kitchen

"Oh my god, Rubes. I don't know what I'd do without you," she ran to her roommate and placed a sloppy kiss on her cheek before turning and racing towards the door. "If you weren't here, Regina would've killed me already!"

"Emma! It's-" the sound of the front door slamming took the urgency out of Ruby's words, but she finished her sentence nevertheless, "Friday. You're missing Basic Intros, not Creative Writing."

The brunette shook her head, what was she going to do about it. She could call Emma and give her a heads up, but what fun would that be when she could leave the blonde alone and get a funny story out of this for later? None.

Shrugging, Ruby picked up her phone and the newest addition to her contacts list. She listened to the ring over and over again until she finally heard a low, soft, frustrated voice.

"_Mills."_

"Hey Regina, this is Ruby. Y'know, Emma's roommate?" the brunette offered, hoping that her affiliation with the blonde would take a bit of the sting out of the professor's voice.

"_Is Miss Swan alright?_" Ruby was right. All sense of sting left, leaving nothing but immense care and concern.

_They're so sweet I'm gonna be sick._ The younger brunette thought to herself.

"Yeah!" she hurried to assure. "Ems is fine, just a little confused."

"_Is it over our evening tonight?" _ the disappointment rang clear in the professor's voice.

"No. Not that at all. I was just calling to give you a heads up. Ems is going to be rushing into your classroom in about-" Ruby pulled her wrist up to her face to check the hands on her new scarlet watch, "eh, five minutes."

"_And why would she be doing this?"_

"Well, she was about to miss class this morning, so I woke her up."

"_And? I don't get how this pertains to me. She has class with me on Tuesdays, Miss Lucas." _the impatience that occupied Regina's voice at the beginning of the call was back.

"She thought she was missing creative writing, and she left before I could tell her any different. She's really missing Basic Intro. It's a chef's class."

"_I know what it is. I'll inform her when she arrives."_

"Okay. I guess that's all I'm calling for then."

"_Miss Lucas?" _ the voice on the other end of the call questioned whether her presence was still lingering.

"Yes, Miss Mills?"

"_Thank you for the heads up. Have a great day."_

"You too, Regina. Enjoy your date tonight. I know Emma's looking forward to it."

_Click._

_Those two and their prudishness when it came to public knowledge, _Ruby thought with a grin. _I guess they have a reason, but really, it's so cute to see Emma's cheeks glowing red, or to hear the embarrassed lilt to Miss Mill's voice when she mentions it. _

The brunette sighed. They were so in love.

* * *

The brunette looked up as her classroom door slammed against the wall.

"Oh my god, I'm so sorry I'm late, Miss Mills. I was up all last night trying to pick out an outfit and I still haven't got one, and my alarm didn't even go off and-"

The blonde was cut off with lips pressing into her own. When the women pulled apart, the blonde stared at the professor with large doe eyes.

"Oh my fucking god, Regina. You just kissed me in front of the entire class. What if you lose your job?" The blonde's body was shaking in fear as she stared into her girlfriend's eyes.

"Look around, dear."

Slowly, the blonde turned and scanned the room. Not a soul sat in any of the desks. There was only her and Regina in the room.

"But… But… I thought-"

Regina wrapped her arms around the blonde, "I know what you thought, Emma. You thought you were late for my class, but it's Friday, not Tuesday. You have Basic Intro today."

The blonde stepped back, effectively loosening Regina's hold on her before interrogating the brunette, "We've been dating a little over a week and you know my schedule?"

"Inside and out, my dear," the brunette noded along with her words, trying to convince the blonde of her lie. She loved watching the girl squirm.

"I don't want to let you down, or embarrass you, or upset you or anything, but that's freaking creepy, Reg."

The brunette chuckled, deep and melodious, "I'm only kidding. Ruby called me about ten minutes ago to inform me of your arrival. She seemed to find humor in your situation."

"She always does," Emma agreed.

Regina lessened her grip on the blonde in her arms, "I suppose I better be letting you go, then. I wouldn't want you to be too incredibly late."

"I can miss it just this once?" Emma offered up, hoping the brunette would jump at the offer. Judging by the way the brunette was backing her date for the evening to the door, it was a no go. "Is that a yes?"

"Emma," the brunette hummed, pressing closer to the door, "oh, how I wish it was. I just refuse to let you miss classes because of me."

"I'm already late," the blonde attempted.

"You still have a few minutes. I know your professor doesn't start the class without a little- or in his case- very long joke first."

"But-"

"Emma Swan," the woman holding her commanded.

"Fine," the blonde relented. "But this isn't over Miss Mills."

"Oh, really?" the brunette asked with a smirk.

"Really." Emma leaned in and kissed her new girlfriend. "Now, as you insist, I am off to class. I love you. Goodbye."

"Emma-" the door slammed as the blonde girl ran off to her next class,silencing the brunette teacher. "I… love you too." she mumbled to herself, walking back over to her chair and sitting at her desk.

She looked down at her paperwork and up at the clock. There was no way she would be getting her work done now. Emma dropped a big bombshell and just rushed off to her class like nothing happened.

_Does she even know that she said it?_ Regina asked herself, worrying at her lip with her teeth. _She was in a rush. Maybe it was an accident._

God, she hoped it wasn't.

* * *

Emma struggled to pay attention throughout her entire class. Not only was it just a basic review over what Emma already knew, but her mind was on something else. A sexy, brunette something else, who was probably freaking out just as much as Emma herself.

_I love you? _Where had that come from? Emma had never spoken those words to anyone except for Ruby, but they are practically sisters.

_Honestly, thought, _ Emma thought to herself, _I must at least be thinking it if I'm slipping up and saying it aloud._

Maybe Regina felt the same way. She hadn't called to cancel yet, so that had to be a good sign, right?

God, she hoped so.

Before she could waste anymore class time dwelling on her personal life problems, she decided to focus in on what the professor was saying.

"Okay, class," he addressed. "That will be it for today's lecture. You are all free to leave… except for you, Miss Swan. I'd like to see you once everyone has left."

"Yes, sir," the blonde replied, making her way through the crowd of people and up to his desk. When she reached it, she paused and waited for the rest of the students to leave before speaking, "You wanted to see me, Mr. Hood?"

"Please, just call me Robin. I did want to speak with you, yes. I don't know how to put this without being blunt. You need to focus in my class. It's only the second time we've convened, and you deem it necessary to space off. I don't want to come off as a hard ass, but we're learning important things here, and you can't afford to slack."

"I understand, sir. I apologize," Emma responded with a nod. "It won't happen again."

"It better not," the professor flashed a grin as the blonde turned to step away, "and have fun on your date tonight, dear."

"How did you-"

"How did I know?" the man smirked again. "Oh, honey. When you've known Cora Mills as long as I, you aren't left out of much of anything."

"But-" Emma tried, but was cut off by her professor once again.

"Don't think too hard on it, Emma. You'll be late for your date if you do, and I know Regina isn't the kind that likes to be kept waiting."

Emma walked out of the lecture hall, more confused that she could ever remember being in her entire life. She pulled out her cellphone, but instead of calling Regina like she planned, she turned the corner and decided to walk to the woman's office instead.

Regina had told her not to bother coming in for office hours, seeing how Emma had a date to plan and all, but the blonde didn't want to stay away any longer. She was so confused about so many things, and only Regina could sort them all out for her at this time.

The blonde followed her feet around corners, down streets, and up a flight of stairs until she was at Regina's main office. Emma walked inside the building and up the two flights of stairs to Regina's office. When she got there, she saw nothing but darkness.

Worried, Emma pulled out her phone and dialled the brunette's number. The woman was a borderline workaholic, and was not likely to leave until she had finished everything she could for the day, and based on the few times Emma worked with her, it took all day and afternoon to finish that stack of paperwork.

The phone rang once. Twice. A third time before she finally heard the answer she'd been waiting for.

"Emma?" the dulcet voice floated through the receiver.

"Yeah."

A moment of silence stretched before the brunette broke it, "Not that I don't love talking to you, dear, but why are you calling?"

"I just, uh, came by your office to say hello, and you weren't here. I thought it was a little strange, so I decided to give a little call and make sure everything was alright."

Regina sighed at the concern in the younger woman's tone, "Yes, of course. I can assure you that everything is fine, Emma." _Except that you told me you love me and I'm not sure you meant it_. "I just left a little early to prepare myself for later tonight. I couldn't think in the office." _Because you told me you love me and I'm not sure you meant it._

"Oh. You're taking four hours to get ready for a date with me? What a lucky woman I must be," the blonde joked, unsure of what was going through Regina's mind. _It could be anything. I DID tell her I loved her. And she has yet to respond._

The silence on the line was almost deafening. Both women chose to break it at the same time.

"You first," Emma suggested shyly.

"Alright, dear," the brunette started. "I think you and I need to have a little talk before we go out tonight." _Because you told me you loved me and I'm not sure you meant it._

"I agree." _Because I told you I loved you and you haven't responded._

"Stop by an hour early?" the professor hopefully offered.

"Anything for you, Reggie," The blonde pulled the phone away from her ear and was about to hang up when she her name.

"Emma?"

Quickly, the student pressed the phone back to her ear and responded, "Yeah?"

"I…" _love you too. _"I am really looking forward to tonight.


End file.
